Alex Johnstone the 51 year old Scottish Conservative & Unionist politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the North East Scotland Region has tabled a motion in the Scottish parliament in an attempt to raise awareness about Macbeth's reign, the former Scottish King much maligned by Shakespeare’s portrayal of him as a as a murderous villain. Billy Briggs in an article published in The Guardian titled ‘Scottish campaign aims to reveal the real Macbeth’ states “ …He was the Scottish king immortalised in one of William Shakespeare's plays as a murderous man driven by a lust for power which led him to guilt, madness and an ignominious death by beheading. Now a campaign in Scotland aims to rehabilitate the 11th-century ruler's tarnished image, arguing that Shakespeare fictionalised the Scot's reign and misrepresented the truth in the eponymous play. …The idea for the campaign followed the recent discovery of the remains of Richard III under a car park in Leicester. The 15th-century English king was also portrayed as a villain by Shakespeare and the subsequent debate about facts pertaining to his life led to Alex Johnstone MSP tabling a motion in the Scottish parliament in an attempt to raise awareness about Macbeth's reign. The motion read: "That the parliament notes the discovery of what is believed to be the remains of the English king, Richard III; considers that the subsequent debate on the merits of his reign were prompted in no small part by his portrayal by Shakespeare; contrasts this debate with the treatment of Macbeth, king of Scotland from 1040 to 1057, by Shakespeare in the play, Macbeth, which was not written until around 550 years after the death of the king at the Battle of Lumphanan; believes that the play is arguably more a reflection on the relationship between Shakespeare and his patron, King James VI, rather than an attempt at historical accuracy…”  Inspired by Billy Briggs, The Guardian ow.ly/imZpJ Image source Scottish Parliament ow.ly/in0vG Aims to reveal the real Macbeth (March 19 2013)

 

Alex Johnstone the 51 year old Scottish Conservative & Unionist politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the North East Scotland Region has tabled a motion in the Scottish parliament in an attempt to raise awareness about Macbeth’s reign, the former Scottish King much maligned by Shakespeare’s portrayal of him as a as a murderous villain. Billy Briggs in an article published in The Guardian titled ‘Scottish campaign aims to reveal the real Macbeth’ states “ …He was the Scottish king immortalised in one of William Shakespeare’s plays as a murderous man driven by a lust for power which led him to guilt, madness and an ignominious death by beheading. Now a campaign in Scotland aims to rehabilitate the 11th-century ruler’s tarnished image, arguing that Shakespeare fictionalised the Scot’s reign and misrepresented the truth in the eponymous play. …The idea for the campaign followed the recent discovery of the remains of Richard III under a car park in Leicester. The 15th-century English king was also portrayed as a villain by Shakespeare and the subsequent debate about facts pertaining to his life led to Alex Johnstone MSP tabling a motion in the Scottish parliament in an attempt to raise awareness about Macbeth’s reign. The motion read: “That the parliament notes the discovery of what is believed to be the remains of the English king, Richard III; considers that the subsequent debate on the merits of his reign were prompted in no small part by his portrayal by Shakespeare; contrasts this debate with the treatment of Macbeth, king of Scotland from 1040 to 1057, by Shakespeare in the play, Macbeth, which was not written until around 550 years after the death of the king at the Battle of Lumphanan; believes that the play is arguably more a reflection on the relationship between Shakespeare and his patron, King James VI, rather than an attempt at historical accuracy…”

 

Inspired by Billy Briggs, The Guardian ow.ly/imZpJ Image source Scottish Parliament ow.ly/in0vG