What if it was Hamlet rather than Macbeth that had a 'curse' on it? (So that the superstitions that surround Macbeth in OTL would surround Hamlet instead)

What sort of POD(s) would be required for this to happen?

How would this change to the effect of Shakespeare's plays change the English language and culture, and the culture of the future colonies (America/Commonwealth)?

What else changes?
 
Right away, Macbeth loses some of it mystique and probably isn't as big a 'thing' as it became in OTL.

This is a good thing from a Scottish historical perspective, as it means less kids will grow up believing that one of our best Dark Age kings was a mass murdering tyrant, and that Malcolm Canmore was a golden haired, noble prince with nothing but goodness in his heart.
 
Lego would be a flop. Many parents wouldn't buy Lego for fear of the curse extending to all things Danish.
 
I was under the impression (I may well be wrong) that the "curse" had its origins with certain aspects of the play itself: it's cheap, so it's likely to go on in hard times when theatres are struggling for cash and precuations are being thrown to the wind; and it's usually done with a very shadowy ambience and there's a lot of fooling around with swords. In more primitive times, that was apparently a recipe for trouble; and it got blown out of all proportion. I mean, they are theatre people. That's just what they do. :p

As my compatriot says, it would give us a more balanced view of our own history (sorry, Richard III, you still eat babies); I wonder whether it might lessen the reputation of Denmark as an essentially safe, quiet kind of a place.

Lego would be a flop. Many parents wouldn't buy Lego for fear of the curse extending to all things Danish.

People still buy "Scotch". ;)
 
Last edited:
I was under the impression (I may well be wrong) that the "curse" had its origins with certain aspects of the play itself: it's cheap, so it's likely to go on in hard times when theateres are struggling for cash and precuations are being trhown to the wind; and it's usually done with a very shadowy ambience and there's a lot of fooling around with swords. In more primitive times, that was apparently a recipe for trouble; and it got blown out of all proportion. I mean, they are theatre people. That's just what they do. :p

As my compatriot says, it would give us a more balanced view of our own history (sorry, Richard III, you still eat babies); I wonder whether it might lessen the reputation of Denmark as an essentially safe, quiet kind of a place.

It's my understanding from my time in high school and college theater that the "curse" is related to the witches spell in the open scene - supposedly it was an actual period black magic ceremony included to cater to James I's interest in such things, and the witches Will lifted it from cursed the play.

With that in mind, maybe Hamlet could have some "black magic" written in to it instead, bringing a curse on it instead.
 
I was under the impression (I may well be wrong) that the "curse" had its origins with certain aspects of the play itself: it's cheap, so it's likely to go on in hard times when theatres are struggling for cash and precuations are being thrown to the wind; and it's usually done with a very shadowy ambience and there's a lot of fooling around with swords. In more primitive times, that was apparently a recipe for trouble; and it got blown out of all proportion. I mean, they are theatre people. That's just what they do. :p
You know, this is pretty logical.
But I don't get why MacBeth would be especially cheap compared to lots of over Shakespear plays.
 
I was under the impression (I may well be wrong) that the "curse" had its origins with certain aspects of the play itself: it's cheap, so it's likely to go on in hard times when theatres are struggling for cash and precuations are being thrown to the wind; and it's usually done with a very shadowy ambience and there's a lot of fooling around with swords. In more primitive times, that was apparently a recipe for trouble; and it got blown out of all proportion. I mean, they are theatre people. That's just what they do. :p
Bolded for truth :D

The curse is due to having witches in it doing spells. Since noone was sure whether the spell worked they took "precautions". :D
 
Top