When was Holinshed's Chronicles published?
Holinshed's Chronicles was published in 1577. A second edition appeared in 1587.
Questions about Holinshed's Chronicles
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who conceived the idea for Holinshed's Chronicles?
Reginald Wolfe conceived the idea of creating a Universal Cosmography of the whole world in 1548. He hired Raphael Holinshed and William Harrison to assist him with the project before his death in 1573.
How did Holinshed's Chronicles describe Macbeth compared to Shakespeare's play?
In the Chronicles version, Macbeth is a much more sympathetic character who ruled Scotland for ten years as a capable and wise monarch. King Duncan appears as a weak ruler who violated Scottish laws by failing to consult with Thanes before naming his son Malcolm. In the original text, Duncan is slain in battle rather than murdered in sleep.
What happened to Cordelia in the Holinshed's Chronicles version of Leir's story?
Cordelia committed suicide in this version while Shakespeare gave her a tragic end. Sons of Gonerilla and Regan rose up against and imprisoned Cordelia causing civil war after Leir died following two years of rule.
Which playwrights used Holinshed's Chronicles as a primary source?
William Shakespeare is widely believed to have used the revised second edition of the Chronicles published in 1587 for most of his history plays and the plot of Macbeth. Several other playwrights such as Christopher Marlowe used the Chronicles as a primary source along with Edmund Spenser and George Daniel.