2. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth to please King James I an authentic 17 th century black-magic ritual in Act IV practitioners angry at this exposure and cursed the play two superstitions surround Macbeth: 1. bad luck to say “Macbeth” in the theater 2. bad things happen to the cast and crew

3. 10 Ways to Lift a Curse The Science Channel The Macbeth Curse The Shakespeare Company Patrick Stewart on Macbeth Superstitions *starred in Macbeth on stage 2007-2008 and in the 2010 film adaptation

5. people of Shakespeare’s time believed in the power of witches o Demonology published 1597 o Malleus Maleficarum (Hammer of the Witches) published 1486 Macbeth was first performed in 1606 o frightened audiences o King James shut it down for five years (spells)

6. Spell from Act IV (allegedly a real incantation)

8. curse engraved on his tomb in Holy Trinity Church: Good frend for Jesus sake forebeare, To digg the dust encloased heare; Bleste be the man that spares thes stones, And curst be he that moves my bones. digging up bones common in Shakespeare's time o religious or research purposes o make way for more graves; dumped in landfills or u used as fertilizer fearful of this happening to his own remains o mistreatment or exhumation of corpses found in 16 of his 37 plays Shakespeare's Grave Curse BBC News