Macbeth
Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a tragedy that explores the consequences of ambition and moral decay. This Penguin Adult edition, published on April 7, 2005, spans 153 pages and is presented in English. The play follows Macbeth, who, driven by prophecies from three witches and the encouragement of his wife, commits regicide to fulfill his desire for power. However, his actions lead to a cycle of violence and haunting repercussions, illustrating the dark themes of war, witchcraft, and the complexities of marital relationships.
Readers will find this edition includes a general introduction to Shakespeare’s life and Elizabethan theatre, along with a specific introduction to Macbeth. It also features a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay on performance options, and a commentary. The play’s exploration of ambition and its supernatural elements makes it a significant work within the realms of drama and literary criticism, appealing to those interested in the historical and poetic aspects of Shakespeare’s writing.
Official synopsis Publisher
Referred to by superstitious actors as ‘the Scottish play’, William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a tragedy whose appalling earthly crimes have lasting supernatural repercussions. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by George Hunter with an introduction by Carol Rutter.
‘By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes’
Promised a golden future as ruler of Scotland by three sinister witches, and spurred on by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan to ensure his ambitions come true. But he soon learns the meaning of terror – killing once, he must kill again and again, and the dead return to haunt him. A story of war, witchcraft and bloodshed, Macbeth also depicts the relationship between husbands and wives, and the risks they are prepared to take to achieve their desires.
This book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare’s life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to Macbeth, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options on both stage and screen, and a commentary.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden some time in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote about 38 plays (the precise number is uncertain), many of which are regarded as the most exceptional works of drama ever produced, including Romeo and Juliet (1595), Henry V (1599), Hamlet (1601), Othello (1604), King Lear (1606) and Macbeth (1606), as well as a collection of 154 sonnets, which number among the most profound and influential love-poetry in English.
If you enjoyed Macbeth, you might like Hamlet, also available in Penguin Shakespeare.
‘Shakespeare – the nearest thing in incarnation to the eye of God’
Lawrence Olivier
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