When Does "Macbeth" (1606) Take Place?
"The Tragedy of Macbeth" is a historical fiction stageplay written by William Shakespeare and first performed 1606 (according to most scholars).
It takes place in the years:
We know this because, at the end of act 1 of the play, Lady Macbeth (based on the real-world Scottish Queen Gruoch ingen Boite) is chiding Macbeth for not being ambitious enough, this soon leads to the death of King Duncan (based on the real-world Scottish King Duncan I) at the beginning of act 2. In the real-world, King Duncan was killed (although in a very different way from the play) in 1040 AD, leading to the ascension of Macbethad mac Findláech (often shortened to Macbeth) to the throne.
1040 AD - 1057 AD
We know this because, at the end of act 1 of the play, Lady Macbeth (based on the real-world Scottish Queen Gruoch ingen Boite) is chiding Macbeth for not being ambitious enough, this soon leads to the death of King Duncan (based on the real-world Scottish King Duncan I) at the beginning of act 2. In the real-world, King Duncan was killed (although in a very different way from the play) in 1040 AD, leading to the ascension of Macbethad mac Findláech (often shortened to Macbeth) to the throne.
Then, the Scottish King Macbethad mac Findláech reigned until August of 1057 AD at the tragic Battle of Lumphanan. (Shakespeare changes the setting of the climax to the Battle of Dunsinane, which happened in July 1054 AD. Both years are equally appropriate for dating the end of the play.)
The show's first act opens with the announcement that Scottish forces have defeated an army in present-day Norway. This first scene appears to be unplaceable as this battle seems to have never happened in the real world. Presumably, it is just weeks or months before Duncan's death.
Overall, the story of Shakespeare's play spans from (act 1) just before the (act 2) beginning of Macbeth's reign as King of Scotland in 1040 AD to (act 5) its end in 1057 AD or 1054 AD.
It has been adapted countless times.
American 1884 production poster:
