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50-611: Fleance (also spelled Fléance , / ˈ f l eɪ ɒ n s / ) is a figure in legendary Scottish history . He was depicted by 16th-century historians as the son of Lord Banquo , Thane of Lochaber, and the ancestor of the kings of the House of Stuart . Fleance is best known as a character in William Shakespeare 's play Macbeth , in which the Three Witches prophesy that Banquo's descendants shall be kings. Some screen adaptations of

100-472: A character named Guddu. Maqbool (Macbeth) attempts to have Guddu murdered to strengthen power within the organised crime circle. Guddu, however, survives and marries the daughter of the former crime lord. In Macbett , Eugène Ionesco 's 1972 stage adaptation, Fleance is merged with the Malcolm character. Macol (Malcolm), who is thought to be King Duncan's son, is revealed to be Banco's (Banquo's). Duncan, wanting

150-508: A character. The boy appears in only one scene (4.2). Macduff's son is viewed as a symbol of the youthful innocence Macbeth hates and fears, and the scene has been compared by one critic to the biblical Massacre of the Innocents . He is described as an "egg" by his murderer, further emphasising on his youth before his imminent death. In 4.2, Lady Macduff bewails her husband's desertion of home and family, then falsely tells her son that his father

200-542: A child, but no actual son of Macbeth is mentioned in the play—the "babe" may have been a girl, or died young, or—more likely—been a reference to his historical stepson Lulach, from Lady Macbeth's previous marriage, Macbeth's heir but not his own son.) Some productions show this tenderness by having Macbeth frequently pat Fleance on the head, or attempt to do so, but be denied it when Fleance withdraws to his father. This rivalry between groups of fathers and sons ( Banquo and Fleance , Macduff and his son, Macbeth and his lack of

250-456: A content-based series of categories on the line of the Aarne–Thompson folktale index, provoked a search for a broader new synthesis. In an early attempt at defining some basic questions operative in examining folk tales, Friedrich Ranke  [ de ] in 1925 characterised the folk legend as "a popular narrative with an objectively untrue imaginary content", a dismissive position that

300-501: A film. In 2008, Pegasus Books published The Tragedy of Macbeth Part II : The Seed of Banquo , a play by American author and playwright Noah Lukeman that endeavoured to pick up where the original Macbeth left off, and to resolve its many loose ends, particularly the prophesied ascension of the seed of Banquo. Written in blank verse, the play was published to critical acclaim. Another book published in 2009 by Penguin Books , Banquo's Son ,

350-534: A hut that while Washizu will rule the Forest Castle one day, Miki's son Yoshiteru will eventually inherit it for himself. Washizu takes the throne and at one point is about to make Yoshiteru his heir, but changes his mind when his wife tells him she is pregnant. Washizu instead arranges to have Yoshiteru and his father killed, but Yoshiteru escapes. Another adaptation filmed in India, Maqbool (2003), replaces Fleance with

400-421: A legend is simply a longstanding rumour . Gordon Allport credited the staying-power of some rumours to the persistent cultural state-of-mind that they embody and capsulise; thus " Urban legends " are a feature of rumour. When Willian Hugh Jansen suggested that legends that disappear quickly were "short-term legends" and the persistent ones be termed "long-term legends", the distinction between legend and rumour

450-455: A male heir, adopted Macol. Macol fills the role of Malcolm in taking the kingdom from Macbett (Macbeth) at the end of the play. In the 2006 modern dress film adaptation , set among gangsters in Melbourne , Fleance ( Craig Stott ) is depicted as a teenage boy, looking slightly older than in the original play. He also appears a bit more often, mainly in the scenes of Act V, where he sneaks on board

500-499: A modern genre of folklore that is rooted in local popular culture , usually comprising fictional stories that are often presented as true, with macabre or humorous elements. These legends can be used for entertainment purposes, as well as semi-serious explanations for seemingly-mysterious events, such as disappearances and strange objects. The term "urban legend," as generally used by folklorists, has appeared in print since at least 1968. Jan Harold Brunvand , professor of English at

550-461: A more narrative-based or mythological form over time, an example being the oral traditions of the African Great Lakes . Hippolyte Delehaye distinguished legend from myth : "The legend , on the other hand, has, of necessity, some historical or topographical connection. It refers imaginary events to some real personage, or it localizes romantic stories in some definite spot." From

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600-535: A real historical figure. Fleance appears in Shakespeare's Macbeth . However, only his childhood is portrayed; the rest of his story, as it is described in Holinshed's Chronicles , does not appear in Shakespeare's play. Scholars suggest that Shakespeare does not elaborate on Fleance's life after his escape from Scotland to avoid unnecessary distraction from the story of Macbeth himself. In Act 1, Macbeth and Banquo meet

650-483: A series of vitae or instructive biographical narratives, tied to the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church . They are presented as lives of the saints, but the profusion of miraculous happenings and above all their uncritical context are characteristics of hagiography . The Legenda was intended to inspire extemporized homilies and sermons appropriate to the saint of the day. Urban legends are

700-461: A son) is seen as an important theme of the play. One scholar views the scene as parallel to the Massacre of the Innocents , in which Herod had the children of Bethlehem killed to protect his throne. The boy's innocent image is strengthened by his mother calling him "poor monkey" and a " prattler ". Throughout the play, Macbeth is concerned with controlling the future. Since children are symbolic of

750-451: A truck full of timber and witnesses the death of Macbeth before killing the maid and being directed home by Macduff . In Joel Coen 's 2021 film , Fleance (Lucas Barker) is retrieved from the Old Man ( Kathryn Hunter ) by (the more prominent than usual) character of Ross ( Alex Hassell ), who has played an ambiguous role throughout the film. Fleance's line "The moon is down, I have not heard

800-464: Is a loanword from Old French that entered English usage c.  1340 . The Old French noun legende derives from the Medieval Latin legenda . In its early English-language usage, the word indicated a narrative of an event. The word legendary was originally a noun (introduced in the 1510s) meaning a collection or corpus of legends. This word changed to legendry , and legendary became

850-476: Is a character in William Shakespeare 's tragedy Macbeth (1606). His name and age are not established in the text; however, he is estimated to be 7–10 years of age. He is Shakespeare's typical child character—cute and clever. While Lady Macduff and her children are mentioned in Holinshed's Chronicles as the innocent victims of Macbeth's cruelty, Shakespeare is completely responsible for developing Macduff's son as

900-425: Is dead. The boy does not believe her and says that if his father were really dead, she'd cry for him, and if she didn't then it would "be a good sign that I should quickly have a new father." Macbeth's henchmen arrive, and, when they declare Macduff a traitor , the boy leaps forward to defend his absent father. One of the henchmen stabs the boy who cries to his mother as he dies, "Run away, I pray you!". This highlights

950-467: Is killed, but Lenny escapes, and gathers a group of angry mobsters to overthrow Macbeth, who has, through a series of murders, made himself the kingpin gangster in the area. Lenny is successful in killing Macbeth in the end, but only after Macbeth has murdered most of his family. In another gangster adaptation, Men of Respect (1991), Fleance is replaced by a character named Phil, who similarly helps overthrow Mike (Macbeth) after his father, Bankie (Banquo),

1000-531: Is murdered. Phil is inducted into the gang at the end of the film, when Mal (Malcolm) has taken over, suggesting that the violent gang culture will continue through generations. This sentiment echoes into the final scenes of Penny Woolcock 's Macbeth on the Estate . Macduff shoots Macbeth and takes a ring (representing his high status) off Macbeth's finger. Entering a bar, he flips it to Malcolm, saying, "Hail, king." Malcolm puts it on with some show and elbows his way to

1050-476: Is no less material to me / Than is his father's." Macbeth holds a banquet that night and reveals to his wife his fears of what might happen unless Fleance and Banquo are both killed. Banquo and Fleance are ambushed and while Banquo holds the assailants off he cries "Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! / Thou mayst revenge." When the murderers return to Macbeth and report their failure to kill Fleance, he says, "Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect, / Whole as

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1100-401: Is revolted by these thoughts, he gives his sword and dagger to Fleance to be sure he does not act on them. Still, he is so nervous at Macbeth's approach that he demands their return. Other scholars have responded that Banquo's dreams have nothing to do with him killing the king, but that they have revealed to him Macbeth's bloody nature. They argue that Banquo is merely setting aside his sword for

1150-463: Is the first in a trilogy that follows on from the Shakespearean story. The novels are written by New Zealand author and English teacher, T.K. Roxborogh . Legend Many legends operate within the realm of uncertainty, never being entirely believed by the participants, but also never being resolutely doubted. Legends are sometimes distinguished from myths in that they concern human beings as

1200-500: The Chronicles , Fleance – in fear of Macbeth – flees to Wales and marries Nesta, daughter of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn , the last native Prince of Wales. They have a son named Walter who makes his way back to Scotland and is appointed Royal Steward. According to legend, he fathered the Stuart monarchs of England and Scotland. The Stuarts used their connection with Fleance and his marriage to

1250-510: The Three Witches who foretell that Macbeth will be king and that Banquo "shalt get kings, though thou be none". Fleance also briefly appears in the first scene of Act 2, when his father tells him of "cursed thoughts that nature / Gives way to in repose!". Macbeth, aware of the threat Banquo and his son pose to his new throne, plans to have them murdered. Before Banquo goes travelling, Macbeth asks "Goes Fleance with you?" Macbeth sends three men to follow and kill them both, saying "Fleance['s] absence

1300-566: The University of Utah , introduced the term to the general public in a series of popular books published beginning in 1981. Brunvand used his collection of legends, The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends & Their Meanings (1981) to make two points: first, that legends and folklore do not occur exclusively in so-called primitive or traditional societies, and second, that one could learn much about urban and modern culture by studying such tales. Macduff%27s son Macduff's son

1350-483: The fairy tale as "poetic, legend historic." Early scholars such as Karl Wehrhan  [ de ] Friedrich Ranke and Will Erich Peuckert followed Grimm's example in focussing solely on the literary narrative, an approach that was enriched particularly after the 1960s, by addressing questions of performance and the anthropological and psychological insights provided in considering legends' social context. Questions of categorising legends, in hopes of compiling

1400-618: The talking animal formula of Aesop identifies his brief stories as fables and not legends. The parable of the Prodigal Son would be a legend if it were told as having actually happened to a specific son of a historical father. If it included a donkey that gave sage advice to the Prodigal Son it would be a fable. Legend may be transmitted orally, passed on person-to-person, or, in the original sense, through written text. Jacobus de Voragine 's Legenda Aurea or "The Golden Legend" comprises

1450-459: The "cursed thoughts that nature / gives way to in repose!" On Macbeth's approach, however, Banquo demands the sword be returned to him quickly. Scholars have interpreted this to mean that Banquo has been dreaming of murdering the king. Doing so would make the throne more available for Fleance, and would fulfill the Three Witches' prophecy that his sons would become kings. Since Banquo's good nature

1500-452: The Welsh princess to claim a genealogical link with the legendary King Arthur . This, they hoped, would strengthen the legitimacy of their claim to the throne. In 1722, however, Richard Hay, a Scottish historian, presented strong evidence that not only was James not a descendant of Fleance, but also that neither Fleance nor Banquo ever even existed. Most modern scholars now agree that Fleance is not

1550-462: The adjectival form. By 1613, English-speaking Protestants began to use the word when they wished to imply that an event (especially the story of any saint not acknowledged in John Foxe 's Actes and Monuments ) was fictitious. Thus, legend gained its modern connotations of "undocumented" and " spurious ", which distinguish it from the meaning of chronicle . In 1866, Jacob Grimm described

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1600-445: The army of Malcolm and Macduff, and is shown along with those hailing Malcolm as the new king after the killing of Macbeth. The BBC Shakespeare version of Macbeth shows Fleance in the final scene, implying his future role in bringing Banquo's line to the throne. In Joe MacBeth (1955), the first film to transpose Macbeth into a gang and Mafia-like setting, Fleance is replaced by a character named Lenny. Lenny's father, Banky,

1650-502: The clock" was the inspiration for the title of John Steinbeck 's 1942 short novel The Moon is Down . Fleance's line foreshadows the evil encompassing the kingdom. The book was published just as the United States entered World War II and signalled the threat of the Axis powers by outlining the events in a European town occupied by foreign powers. Steinbeck's book became a Broadway play and

1700-441: The existence of a child of Macbeth, should he be portrayed as having one—whether his own natural son, or adopted. As Lady Macbeth says "I have given suck, and know / How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me". Seeing Macbeth in a fatherly perspective produces a combination of both tender and ambitious fatherliness in him. All that Macbeth does to others' sons in the play, then, is for his own heir. (Lady Macbeth, at least, has had

1750-492: The front of the bar. One of the characters he elbows is Fleance (a skinhead ), who makes a mock gun out of his fingers and "shoots" at the back of the darker-skinned Malcolm's skull. Again this makes it clear that the violence will not end with the new generation. In Throne of Blood , a Japanese adaptation of the play, Fleance is replaced by Yoshiteru, a character played by Akira Kubo . The Macbeth and Banquo characters, Washizu and Miki, are told by an old woman spinning wool in

1800-474: The future, they represent his biggest threat. Macduff's son, in his bold denunciation of the murderers, is a strong symbol of the danger Macbeth faces. Paradoxically, the more Macbeth tries to rid himself of the human emotions (compassion, love) that lead to children, the less capable he is of meeting this threat and controlling his future. Orson Welles ' daughter, Christopher, played the role of Macduff's son in her father's controversial 1948 film adaptation of

1850-520: The loyalty, affection and love which make up this character. The murderer cries as he stabs the boy, "What, you egg! ... Young fry of treachery!" This hints at the reason Macbeth is so eager to have him killed. Macbeth, seeing that, as the Three Witches foretold, he is destined to be king with no offspring to inherit his throne, is determined to kill the offspring of others, including Fleance and Macduff's son. The tension that exists between Fleance, Banquo's son, and Macbeth would be made stronger by

1900-465: The main characters and do not necessarily have supernatural origins, and sometimes in that they have some sort of historical basis whereas myths generally do not. The Brothers Grimm defined legend as " folktale historically grounded". A by-product of the "concern with human beings" is the long list of legendary creatures , leaving no "resolute doubt" that legends are "historically grounded." A modern folklorist 's professional definition of legend

1950-407: The marble, founded as the rock, / As broad and general as the casing air: / But now I am cabin'd, cribb'd, confined, bound in / To saucy doubts and fears." Macbeth later meets the Three Witches again and is shown a vision of a long line of kings descended from Banquo. In the first scene of Act 2, Fleance meets his father, who asks him to take his sword and tells him he is reluctant to go to bed due to

2000-463: The moment a legend is retold as fiction, its authentic legendary qualities begin to fade and recede: in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow , Washington Irving transformed a local Hudson River Valley legend into a literary anecdote with "Gothic" overtones , which actually tended to diminish its character as genuine legend. Stories that exceed the boundaries of " realism " are called " fables ". For example,

2050-626: The name 'Stewart' (later changed to a pseudo Frenchification 'Stuart'), and Walter Stewart married Princess Marjorie, daughter of Robert the Bruce . Their son, Robert II , began the Stewart/Stuart line of kings in Scotland. James VI and I , son of Mary, Queen of Scots , was the ninth Stewart/Stuart monarch (eighth king) of Scotland and the first of the Stuart monarchs of England and Ireland. James VI & I

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2100-554: The night, but when Macbeth approaches, Banquo, having had these dark dreams about Macbeth, takes back his sword as a precaution. In any case, this scene adds to the dark, uncertain, unsettling tone of the play. Fleance and his father are not even certain of what time it is throughout, as Fleance says when asked at the beginning of the scene "The moon is down; I have not heard the clock." The two scenes in which murderers attack Banquo and Fleance, Lady Macduff and Macduff's son , have been compared to Herod's attempt to murder Christ and save

2150-404: The play's black deeds. When Macbeth returns to the witches later in the play, they show him an apparition of the murdered Banquo, along with eight kings of his family, descending through Fleance. King James , on the throne when Macbeth was written, was the ninth Stuart king. This scene thus suggests strong support for James' right to the throne by lineage, and for audiences of Shakespeare's day,

2200-532: The story expand on Fleance's role by showing his return to the kingdom after Macbeth 's death. Shakespeare's play is adapted from Holinshed's Chronicles , a history of the British Isles written during the late 16th century. In Holinshed, Fleance escapes Macbeth and flees to England, where he fathers a son who later becomes the first hereditary steward to the King of Scotland. In real life, 'Steward' eventually became

2250-453: The throne for himself by killing all new-born children in Bethlehem. The conversation between Fleance and Banquo in their own murder scene is especially dark. Banquo's first line from within "Give us a light there, ho!" communicates the nighttime setting. The stage direction "Enter BANQUO, and FLEANCE, with a torch", seems to foreshadow the fact that Fleance is a light for Scotland in the midst of

2300-467: Was a tangible fulfilment of the witches' prophecy. The apparition is also deeply unsettling to Macbeth, who not only wants the throne for himself, but also desires to father a line of kings. Theatre and screen versions of Macbeth have sometimes elaborated on Fleance's role. In Orson Welles 's film version of Macbeth (1948), Fleance is briefly seen again at the very end of the movie. He does not speak in this scene, but he has returned to Scotland with

2350-501: Was effectively obliterated, Tangherlini concluded. In a narrow Christian sense, legenda ("things to be read [on a certain day, in church]") were hagiographical accounts, often collected in a legendary. Because saints' lives are often included in many miracle stories, legend , in a wider sense, came to refer to any story that is set in a historical context, but that contains supernatural , divine or fantastic elements. History preserved orally through many generations often takes on

2400-402: Was proposed by Timothy R. Tangherlini in 1990: Legend, typically, is a short (mono-) episodic, traditional, highly ecotypified historicized narrative performed in a conversational mode, reflecting on a psychological level a symbolic representation of folk belief and collective experiences and serving as a reaffirmation of commonly held values of the group to whose tradition it belongs. Legend

2450-510: Was subsequently largely abandoned. Compared to the highly structured folktale, legend is comparatively amorphous, Helmut de Boor noted in 1928. The narrative content of legend is in realistic mode, rather than the wry irony of folktale; Wilhelm Heiske remarked on the similarity of motifs in legend and folktale and concluded that, in spite of its realistic mode , legend is not more historical than folktale. In Einleitung in der Geschichtswissenschaft (1928), Ernst Bernheim asserted that

2500-468: Was the reigning monarch when William Shakespeare wrote and produced Macbeth , which may have been in the new king's honour. Fleance and his father Banquo are both fictional characters presented as historical fact by the Scottish historian Hector Boece , whose Scotorum Historiae (1526–27) was a source for Raphael Holinshed 's Chronicles , a history of the British Isles popular in Shakespeare's time. In

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