Gruoch

Gruoch and Macbeth in 1040

Gruoch was the wife of Macbeth and queen of Scotland. While she was famously immortalized in Shakespeare's play as a scheming, ambitious killer, her history was quite different.

"We cannot both abandon our son." - Gruoch to Macbeth, ("City of Stone" Part Four)

History

Gruoch in 1020

Gruoch was born in 1005. [1] Gruoch was the daughter of Bodhe and sister of MacBodhe. [2] She and Macbeth first met in 1020, and began to fall in love with each other on that occasion; she helped save him from Gillecomgain the Hunter when the latter came to Castle Moray to murder Findlaech. ("City of Stone" Part One)

In 1032, Prince Duncan commanded the wedding of Gillecomgain and Gruoch; it was a wedding distasteful to her, for she still loved Macbeth and had no fondness for Gillecomgain. (Gillecomgain does not seem, himself, to have truly loved Gruoch, but merely lusted after her.) After Gillecomgain was slain by Angel, Gruoch and Macbeth were wedded. Shortly afterwards, she gave birth to a son, Luach. It is uncertain as to whether Luach's father was Gillecomgain or Macbeth, although Macbeth raised Luach as though he were his own son. ("City of Stone" Part Two) [3][4]

Gruoch in 1057

Gruoch became Queen of Scotland at Macbeth's coronation in 1040, and reigned alongside him until his overthrow in 1057. After Macbeth's "death", they were parted forever, for Macbeth had to leave Scotland so that the Scots would believe him to be truly dead, while Gruoch had to remain to support Luach in his war with Canmore. She committed suicide shortly after Luach and Bodhe were slain in battle. ("City of Stone" Part Four) [5]

Characteristics

Gruoch was deeply in love with Macbeth, to the point where she was willing to commit high treason by defying Duncan's order to marry Gillecomgain and run off with Macbeth. Had Macbeth not insisted she go through with the marriage, this outcome was likely. ("City of Stone" Part Two)

She was never comfortable with the bargain Macbeth made with Demona that resulted in him losing his youth. While she merely tolerated gargoyles as a species, she outright distrusted Demona. [6][7][8] After Demona betrayed Macbeth, Gruoch hated gargoyles and despised Demona. ("City of Stone" Part Three, "City of Stone" Part Four)

The Royal Family Tree

Fergus Mór                                   Monarch of: Dalriada Scotland England   Hunters with Black Background                                                                                                                                 Kenneth mac Alpin     Donald mac Alpin                                                                                 Aodh           Constantine I                             Constantine II           Donald II                             Indulf           Maol Chalvim I           Queen Katharine                   Richard of Normandy                                                                                                                                                                             Culen   Duff   Kenneth II   Prince Malcolm   Princess Elena   Mary   Aethelred the Unready   Emma of Normandy   Canute   Elfgiva                                                                                                                                                                         Constantine III   Kenneth III   Ruaidri   Maol Chalvim II   Princess Katharine   Tom (Guardian)   Edmund Ironside   Edward the Confessor   Hardicanute   Harold Harefoot                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Maíl Brigti   Bodhe   Findlaech     Doada   Olith           Bethoc                     William the Conqueror                                                                                                                               MacBodhe                                             Duncan                                                                                                                                         Gillecomgain         Gruoch   Macbeth   Thorfinn   Ingibjorg   Canmore   Donald Ban               Edward I                                                                                                                                           Luach                         Donald Canmore                                                                                                                                                                   Robert the Bruce                                                                                                                                                         Stuart Canmore, the Renaissance Hunter               James VI of Scotland, I of England                                                                                                     Angus Canmore                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Jackson Canmore       Fiona Canmore                                                                                       Aron Canmore                                                                                       Charles Canmore                                                                                                                 Jason Canmore   Robyn Canmore   John Castaway

Appearances

• "City of Stone" Part One (First Appearance)
• "City of Stone" Part Two
• "City of Stone" Part Three
• "City of Stone" Part Four
• "The Rock" (No Lines)

Real World Background

Gruoch was Macbeth's wife in actual history, and her life seems to have been very close to the way that Gargoyles portrayed it. She was indeed Bodhe's daughter, granddaughter of Kenneth III, and her first marriage to Gillecomgain and being mother to Luach are all historically correct.

Gruoch is best known today, of course, under her Shakespearean title of "Lady Macbeth", in which role she has become infamous as one of the greatest female villains, not only in Shakespeare's plays, but in literature in general. This role is, of course, a far cry from the sweet and gentle Gruoch of Gargoyles – the Lady Macbeth of Shakespeare, in fact, is far closer to Demona in character – which, given her marriage to Macbeth in "Sanctuary", is rather appropriate.

Production Background

Voice Actor: Emma Samms

See Also

• Gruoch at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia