“Fair is foul and foul is fair.”
This is one of the many quotes of the three witches in Macbeth. The witches foreshadow what Macbeth was feeling in the play. They represent the main theme of evil In Macbeth. Due to the portrayal of witches in Macbeth, the actual curse was formed by “witches” in the audience of the first performance in 1606.
Now the curse has taken over the play itself. It is said that if you speak the name Macbeth outside of the script, it will bring bad luck and tragedies to the play. To take back the name, and reverse the bad luck, you have to go outside and spin around 3 times yelling a profane word then knock on the door of the theatre requesting permission to come back in. Other techniques include, quoting a line from Hamlet, or spitting over your shoulder.
To avoid using the name Macbeth, people have often used “The Scottish Play” to refer to to it.
There is one person who believed he released the curse of Macbeth, Kevin Carlyon is the self proclaimed High priest of the British white witches. With the help of two "witch" assistants, he is certain that he has gotten rid of the curse, but no information has been posted about recent macbeth tragedies.
This is one of the many quotes of the three witches in Macbeth. The witches foreshadow what Macbeth was feeling in the play. They represent the main theme of evil In Macbeth. Due to the portrayal of witches in Macbeth, the actual curse was formed by “witches” in the audience of the first performance in 1606.
Now the curse has taken over the play itself. It is said that if you speak the name Macbeth outside of the script, it will bring bad luck and tragedies to the play. To take back the name, and reverse the bad luck, you have to go outside and spin around 3 times yelling a profane word then knock on the door of the theatre requesting permission to come back in. Other techniques include, quoting a line from Hamlet, or spitting over your shoulder.
To avoid using the name Macbeth, people have often used “The Scottish Play” to refer to to it.
There is one person who believed he released the curse of Macbeth, Kevin Carlyon is the self proclaimed High priest of the British white witches. With the help of two "witch" assistants, he is certain that he has gotten rid of the curse, but no information has been posted about recent macbeth tragedies.
Do you really think there is a curse? If you do, do you believe that Kevin Carlyon has lifted it or if he really is the "High Priest" he says he is or just a fake? Share Your Opinions!
Absolutely not. This is a personal belief, I am not very superstitious myself. I attribute it to coincidence. Just because someone says 'Macbeth' does not mean it will be a bad play. Things are bound to happen, it can't ever go completely smoothly, especially in a live performance,and what bad luck is differs from person to person. Lines could be forgotten, someone may lose their props or costume, or in extreme cases someone could get hurt. Backstage during a play is always very hectic and because of this all of what I just listed could happen. I don't think this is something caused by calling 'Hamlet'.
ReplyDeleteThis High Priest guy (Self proclaimed?), well I believe is a total fake. Since I don't believe there is a curse, how could he fix it. Even if there was, how can you reverse a curse? Where is there information or ridding curses from places? How do we know it's legit? Too many questions without promising answers, points to a fake.
I meant 'Macbeth' at the end of the first paragraph.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe in superstition. So of course I'm going to say that the curse is fake, even though that all those stories/sudden deaths in the first link are convincing.
ReplyDeleteJust because the curse doesn't exist today (thank god, because I'm sure we've all talked about "The Scottish Play" outside of Adv. Lit. Survey), doesn't mean that Kevin Carlyon is the one responsible. Not one person has powers to just rid the world of a curse. I'm thinking the same as Merissa that it was just a lot of accidents during the play, and some freak (Kevin Carlyon) wanted the attention that he was this awesome priest who now saved countless lives for lifting the curse.
I agree with Zach and Merissa on how they believe the curse is not real. Although, I am superstitious about the curse in a way because I make sure not to say Macbeth in a theater. It's sort of like a game to me. But deep down I feel the curse isn't real, despite the horrible incidents that occurred. It seems plausible to believe these "accidents" were only coincidences and in the people's minds. It was/is something everyone could blame for all of the errors.
ReplyDeleteAnd if the fear of the curse is sincere, why is the production still put on?
As for Kevin Carylon- maybe he believed the curse was real and that he was capable of lifting it. His confidence probably had influence on people who believed and worried of the curse. If the curse was lifted those people who feel less worry over it and wouldn't focus on the accidents that they once linked back to the curse.
I'd like to start by saying I do believe in the curse. From a psychological standpoint it's easier to believe that some supernatural effect is to blame instead of human error. Ergo if you think there's a curse then you'll find proof to uphold that belief. Whether the proof is plausible, or in the case of Charlton Heston's kerosene soaked tights, absolutely ludicrous ceases to matter so long as it can be considered related to all the other loosely connected events. (Seriously, what kind of witch sets fire to someone's pants? Points for style, none for credibitlity.)
ReplyDeleteIn the article about Kevin Carylon he seems to share a similar opinion that belief in something makes it happen. (Quantum mechanics?) If people truly believe the curse is lifted, then they will cease to see these tragic events as part of a curse, and see them as just unfortunate. However to believe the curse is lifted on must also believe in this Carylon fellow. I remain skeptical and wish to test the theory before I decide if the curse is gone (for me) or not.
I agree with Willie when he stated, “From a psychological standpoint it's easier to believe that some supernatural effect is to blame instead of human error.” People are more apt to believe that they weren’t the cause of an event; it was because of some other phenomenon.
ReplyDeleteOur mind loves to play games with us. If you believe in something hard enough, then we will make it happen. Like running for example, if you just don’t think that you are capable of running then your mind over powers your body and you physically can’t run. If you deem this curse is real, then you will pick out every little catastrophe that occurs, and blame it on the fact that you are performing Macbeth.
I personally am not superstitious and don't believe in witches, ghost, magic, or anything relating to these things. However, I also very much believe that if we as humans want something bad enough, it will happen, if it doesn't happen, then we didn't really want it. Likewise, if we believe something to be, then it is. I don't believe in God, for example, but I very much belief in the belief. I think it's parallel with superstition.
ReplyDeleteAs for Kevin, I don't really give too much credibility to people who have a web site in bright yellow and red print with dancing dragon tails around the cursor. (I'm not sure what they are, but dragon tails is my guess). Also, the video link from him website really is where I was lost for sure. His robe reminds me of one a grandpa might wear around the house while reading a book. I'm just not sure what to make of it. If he really was a "high priest" or white witch, I don't understand the website or youtube videos...just seems like a desperate attempt for attention from the outside world. On a good note, it is entertaining!
I really liked Julie's statement "If you believe in something hard enough, then we will make it happen." Its something that everyone does, and it will affect the outcome if you have a specific opinion about someone.
ReplyDeleteI personally dont believe in the curse.I think that people were so worried about having the curse affect them, that if one bad thing happened big or small, they could blame the curse and continue the tradition.
When i first saw Kevin Carlyon's website. I will admit i busted out laughing. Someone so high in power would most likely have a more professional aspect to their design. Being self proclaimed just adds on to the mediocre sense that Carlyon is portraying.
I'm pretty superstitious, but not about the bad luck things. I guess you could call me optimistically superstitious? I don't think I get bad luck from seeing a black cat, walking under a ladder, opening an umbrella indoors, breaking a mirror, or saying "Macbeth" when we're not rehearsing our parts. I knock on wood, but I don't throw salt over my shoulder. I make wishes but for all I know, it's all bogus. It probably is. I think that if your wishes are real enough, they could just become goals, and then you make them come true.
ReplyDeleteI know that I am very lucky, but I don't know if I make my own luck by my outlook on life, or if there's something else working in the world that creates good and bad luck. What do you guys think?
I would have to fall under the superstitious catigory. But in this case I do not believe there is a curse. I would have to agree with Nick I don't believe in bad luck, curses kind of stuff.
ReplyDeleteI did take a look at kevin's website and like many of us I am sure, I laughed. LIke Danielle I can't imagine someone being so unprofessional. Just think if Obama or someone was to think that everytime we said a word we were cursed.
I don't really consider myself to be a superstitious person. I find myself doing things like knocking on wood just because.. I don't really know. I guess I just do it just in case. It's more out of habit.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what I really believe but I really like the theory presented by "The Secret." It was the craze a few years back about putting positive energy into the universe and it will come back to you. This theory makes sense to me. I think if you keep a positive outlook, more positive things will happen to you. I don't know if that's because the positive energy is coming back, or if you just see things in a positive light so you are convinced that good things are happening whether or not they actually are. I hope that made sense.
So I guess I do think that we make our own luck.. in a sense.
I like what Ashley said about if we want something to happen or come true, it will. In hundreds of years, they were able to provide 9 accidents surrounding the play out of how many countless performances? I think the curse is just a myth that stuck around because it intrigues people to think that there may be a curse connected with Macbeth.
ReplyDeleteIm not very supersticious. I do not believe there is a real curse that haunts this play. I cant believe that one word can cause numerous tragedies. I guess i just leave it up to coincidence. I mean it is wierd the number of tragedies that have happened, but many of them were just accidents. I dont believe by saying the name "Macbeth" that it will cause bad luck. Just like I dont believe that if you break a mirror, then you'll have bad luck. Or if a black cat crosses your path, then youll have bad luck.
ReplyDeleteI think how the play got the curse was an interesting story though. Shakespeare had supposedly taken real chants and curses from a group of witches. They got mad at him and cursed his play. Do witches really exsist? Do supernatrual things really happen? Im sure we all wonder this, and we all have our own opinions. I think it would be interesting and some times entertaining if that stuff really exsisted.
ReplyDeleteI kinda of thought the opposite of what willy thought. In my mind I would automatically blame it on Human error, because my mind would not first jump to 'oh my it's a curse' and I think alot of people think that way too. Like in scary movies, the people don't automatically think there's a ghost, they try to find a logical reason for what is happening. Probably because they are scared of the truth.
ReplyDeleteAshley and Cameron do make a point. Out of the countless performances of Macbeth done over the past few years only a couple of the performances had something tragic befall them. No i think it stupid. I'm not such a supersitious person yet, i can see how many people are. Superstition is kind of a saftey net that other people can blame for simple human error. Things happeneing because of superstition is just like random occurances or coincidence. Like Shayna said. I do however, find people who are very superstitious to be amusing and quite interesting.
ReplyDeleteI am not superstitious to say the least, and this newfound example has not changed my opinion. I agree with Cameron's claim that "In hundreds of years, they were able to provide 9 accidents surrounding the play out of how many countless performances?" These so called examples of proof are so sporadic that they can hardly defend the name.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the "High Priest of the British White Witches," there's a typo in the first sentence of his first-person webpage; enough said.
I personally don't believe it. There is an explanation for everything, and as Rootz said, the first link can be convincing, however I believe in logic, although I am true to my religion, I take a logic stand for everything. I think that if something cannot be explained easily, or that something just might be too good for coincidences, then people tend to take a "supernatural" stand. Which is what I think might have happened in Kevin's situation
ReplyDelete