Macbeth

By William Shakespeare

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Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare's great tragedies and is still widely performed today.The story is set in Scotland and illustrates the deadly effects that ambition can cause.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charles River Editors
• Release date: Mar 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781508016588

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) is arguably the most famous playwright to ever live. Born in England, he attended grammar school but did not study at a university. In the 1590s, Shakespeare worked as partner and performer at the London-based acting company, the King’s Men. His earliest plays were Henry VI and Richard III, both based on the historical figures. During his career, Shakespeare produced nearly 40 plays that reached multiple countries and cultures. Some of his most notable titles include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar. His acclaimed catalog earned him the title of the world’s greatest dramatist.

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MACBETH

William Shakespeare

CHIOS CLASSICS

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Copyright © 2015 by William Shakespeare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Macbeth

Character List

ACT I. SCENE I. A desert place. Thunder and lightning.

SCENE II. A camp near Forres. Alarum within.

SCENE III. A heath. Thunder.

SCENE IV. Forres. The palace.

SCENE V. Inverness. Macbeth’s castle.

SCENE VI. Before Macbeth’s castle. Hautboys and torches.

SCENE VII Macbeth’s castle. Hautboys and torches.

ACT II. SCENE I. Inverness. Court of Macbeth’s castle.

SCENE II. The same.

SCENE III. The same.

SCENE IV. Outside Macbeth’s castle.

ACT III. SCENE I. Forres. The palace.

SCENE II. The palace.

SCENE III. A park near the palace.

SCENE IV. A Hall in the palace. A banquet prepared.

SCENE V. A heath. Thunder.

SCENE VI. Forres. The palace.

ACT IV. SCENE I. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron. Thunder.

SCENE II. Fife. Macduff’s castle.

SCENE III. England. Before the King’s palace.

ACT V. SCENE I. Dunsinane. Anteroom in the castle.

SCENE II. The country near Dunsinane. Drum and colors.

SCENE III. Dunsinane. A room in the castle.

SCENE IV. Country near Birnam Wood. Drum and colors.

SCENE V. Dunsinane. Within the castle.

SCENE VI. Dunsinane. Before the castle.

SCENE VII. Dunsinane. Before the castle. Alarums.

Macbeth

By

William Shakespeare

MACBETH

~

CHARACTER LIST

~

DUNCAN, King of Scotland

MACBETH, Thane of Glamis and Cawdor, a general in the King’s army

LADY MACBETH, his wife

MACDUFF, Thane of Fife, a nobleman of Scotland

LADY MACDUFF, his wife

MALCOLM, elder son of Duncan

DONALBAIN, younger son of Duncan

BANQUO, Thane of Lochaber, a general in the King’s army

FLEANCE, his son

LENNOX, nobleman of Scotland

ROSS, nobleman of Scotland

MENTEITH nobleman of Scotland

ANGUS, nobleman of Scotland

CAITHNESS, nobleman of Scotland

SIWARD, Earl of Northumberland, general of the English forces

YOUNG SIWARD, his son

SEYTON, attendant to Macbeth

HECATE, Queen of the Witches

The Three Witches

Boy, Son of Macduff

Gentlewoman attending on Lady Macbeth

An English Doctor

A Scottish Doctor

A Sergeant

A Porter

An Old Man

The Ghost of Banquo and other Apparitions

Lords, Gentlemen, Officers, Soldiers, Murtherers, Attendants, and Messengers

SCENE: Scotland and England

ACT I. SCENE I. A DESERT PLACE. THUNDER AND LIGHTNING.

~

Enter three Witches.

FIRST WITCH. When shall we three meet again?

In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

SECOND WITCH. When the hurlyburly’s done,

When the battle’s lost and won.

THIRD WITCH. That will be ere the set of sun.

FIRST WITCH. Where the place?

SECOND WITCH. Upon the heath.

THIRD WITCH. There to meet with Macbeth.

FIRST WITCH. I come, Graymalkin.

ALL. Paddock calls. Anon!

Fair is foul, and foul is fair.

Hover through the fog and filthy air. Exeunt.

SCENE II. A CAMP NEAR FORRES. ALARUM WITHIN.

~

Enter Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding Sergeant.

DUNCAN. What bloody man is that? He can report,

As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt

The newest state.

MALCOLM. This is the sergeant

Who like a good and hardy soldier fought

‘Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend!

Say to the King the knowledge of the broil

As thou didst leave it.

SERGEANT. Doubtful it stood,

As two spent swimmers that do cling together

And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald-

Worthy to be a rebel, for to that

The multiplying villainies of nature

Do swarm upon him -from the Western Isles

Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied;

And Fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling,

Show’d like a rebel’s whore. But all’s too weak;

For brave Macbeth -well he deserves that name-

Disdaining Fortune, with his brandish’d steel,

Which smoked with bloody execution,

Like Valor’s minion carved out his passage

Till he faced the slave,

Which ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,

Till he unseam’d him from the nave to the chaps,

And fix’d his head upon our battlements.

DUNCAN. O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!

SERGEANT. As whence the sun ‘gins his reflection

Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break,

So from that spring whence comfort seem’d to come

Discomfort swells. Mark, King of Scotland, mark.

No sooner justice had, with valor arm’d,

Compell’d these skipping kerns to trust their heels,

But the Norweyan lord, surveying vantage,

With furbish’d arms and new supplies of men,

Began a fresh assault.

DUNCAN. Dismay’d not this

Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo.?

SERGEANT. Yes,

As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.

If I say sooth, I must report they were

As cannons overcharged with double cracks,

So they

Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe.

Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,

Or memorize another Golgotha,

I cannot tell-

But I am faint; my gashes cry for help.

DUNCAN. So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;

They smack of honor both. Go get him surgeons.

Exit Sergeant, attended.

Who comes here?

Enter Ross.

MALCOLM The worthy Thane of Ross.

LENNOX. What a haste looks through his eyes! So should he look

That seems to speak things strange.

ROSS. God save the King!

DUNCAN. Whence camest thou, worthy Thane?

ROSS. From Fife, great King,