Todd Borlik Publishes New Shakespeare Quarterly Article Linking Macbeth to Historical Climate Disruption
Dr. Todd Borlik, assistant teaching professor in Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts in Indianapolis and an affiliate of Purdue’s English department, has published a new article in Shakespeare Quarterly that reexamines the historical and environmental context of Macbeth. His research proposes that the play is set against the atmospheric fallout of a volcanic eruption in Iceland, offering a striking new lens through which to interpret one of Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedies.
Drawing on an interdisciplinary approach that blends literary analysis with history, volcanology and forensic climatology, Borlik suggests that this environmental disruption helps explain Shakespeare’s depiction of the Weird Sisters as fire-conjuring witches. The article also highlights how premodern communities often attributed unexplained natural disasters to supernatural forces, revealing deeper cultural patterns of fear and scapegoating.
This research demonstrates how literature can preserve and illuminate the human experience of real-world climate events, even centuries later. By connecting environmental history to literary study, Borlik’s work not only reshapes how scholars understand Macbeth, but also underscores the value of the humanities in making sense of how societies respond to environmental uncertainty—an issue that remains deeply relevant today.
Read the article in Shakespeare Quarterly.