Macbeth
Shakespeare's tragedy — two prophecies Tolkien thought were wasted
Shakespeare
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Tolkien disliked Shakespeare at school, and two moments in Macbeth stuck in him like splinters. The witches promise that Macbeth is safe until Great Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane hill — and the wood 'comes' as soldiers carrying branches. He said he longed to devise a setting in which the trees might really march to war, and the Ents' assault on Isengard is the result. The second promise, that none of woman born shall harm Macbeth, is fulfilled by a man born by Caesarean section; the prophecy that no living man can kill the Witch-king is fulfilled by a woman and a hobbit.
Below stands the original wording of the source, public domain, with a translation of our own or one that is public domain. Marked words lead to the entry in the register that took something from them.
Act IV, scene 1: the apparitions
Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. … Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him.
The second and third apparitions, in Shakespeare's order. Dunsinane is stressed on the second syllable.
What became of it
Birnam wood: Tolkien's disappointment that Shakespeare's marching forest was only men with branches, and his wish for a setting in which trees might really march to war.
- The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien — Letter 163
I longed to devise a setting in which the trees might really march to war.
- The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien — Letter 163
'None of woman born' answered by a Caesarean birth; 'not by the hand of man' answered by a woman. Shippey reads the Witch-king's prophecy as Tolkien's correction of the Macbeth riddle.
- The Road to Middle-earth — ch. 5, Interlacements and the Ring
The one who fulfils the prophecy: where Shakespeare's Macduff is 'not of woman born' by a technicality, Éowyn is 'no living man' in earnest.
- The Road to Middle-earth — ch. 5, Interlacements and the Ring
Sources
- The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien — Letter 163
- The Road to Middle-earth — ch. 5, Interlacements and the Ring
Cite this page
Legendarium (2026): „Macbeth“. Last updated September 3, 2026. https://www.legendarium.page/tolkien/macbeth/
APA
Legendarium. (2026). Macbeth. Last updated September 3, 2026. https://www.legendarium.page/tolkien/macbeth/
MLA
„Macbeth“. Legendarium, 2026, https://www.legendarium.page/tolkien/macbeth/. Last updated September 3, 2026.
BibTeX
@misc{legendarium-macbeth-en,
title = {Macbeth},
author = {{Legendarium}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.legendarium.page/tolkien/macbeth/}},
note = {Last updated September 3, 2026}
}