Macbeth

By William Shakespeare

The classic story of all-consuming ambition, madness, and tyranny.

When three witches share a prophecy with Macbeth that foretells he will sit on the throne of Scotland, he does not wait for destiny to run its course. Instead, he and his wife plot to kill the presiding king—an act that will lead them not to greatness but to ruin.

This play, extraordinary in its intrigue and psychological insight, has cast a powerful spell on audiences and readers since the beginning of the seventeenth century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Media
• Release date: May 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781504063043

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.

Book preview

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!

Second Witch

Paddock calls.

Third Witch

Anon.

ALL

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 villanies 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 valour’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 valour 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 memorise 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 honour 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;

Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky

And fan our people cold. Norway himself, With terrible numbers,

Assisted by that most disloyal traitor

The thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict;

Till that Bellona’s bridegroom, lapp’d in proof,

Confronted him with self-comparisons,

Point against point rebellious, arm ‘gainst arm.

Curbing his lavish spirit: and, to conclude,

The victory fell on us.

DUNCAN

Great happiness!

ROSS

That now

Sweno, the Norways’ king, craves composition:

Nor would we deign him burial of his men

Till he disbursed at Saint Colme’s inch

Ten thousand dollars to our general use.

DUNCAN

No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive

Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death,

And with his former title greet Macbeth.

ROSS

I’ll see it done.

DUNCAN

What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won.

Exeunt

SCENE III.

A heath near Forres.

Thunder. Enter the three Witches

First Witch

Where hast thou been, sister?

Second Witch

Killing swine.

Third Witch

Sister, where thou?

First Witch

A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap,

And munch’d, and munch’d, and munch’d: —

Give me,’ quoth I:

‘Aroint thee, witch!’ the rump-fed ronyon cries.

Her husband’s to Aleppo gone, master o’ the Tiger:

But in a sieve I’ll thither sail,

And, like a rat without a tail,

I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do.

Second Witch

I’ll give thee a wind.

First Witch

Thou’rt kind.

Third Witch

And I another.

First Witch

I myself have all the other,

And the very ports they blow,

All the quarters that they know

I’ the shipman’s card.

I will drain him dry as hay:

Sleep shall neither night nor day

Hang upon his pent-house lid;

He shall live a man forbid:

Weary se’nnights nine times nine

Shall he dwindle, peak and pine:

Though his bark cannot be lost,

Yet it shall be tempest-tost.

Look what I have.

Second Witch

Show me, show me.

First Witch

Here I have a pilot’s thumb,

Wreck’d as homeward he did come.

Drum within

Third Witch

A drum, a drum!

Macbeth doth come.

ALL

The weird sisters, hand in hand,

Posters of the sea and land,

Thus do go about, about:

Thrice to thine and thrice to mine

And thrice again, to make up nine.

Peace! the charm’s wound up.

Enter MACBETH and BANQUO

MACBETH

So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

BANQUO

How far is’t call’d to Forres? What are these

So wither’d and so wild in their attire,

That look not like the inhabitants o’ the earth,

And yet are on’t? Live you? or are you aught

That man

Reviews for Macbeth

[therebelprince · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating scholarly edition, but looking forward to the updated Arden edition, to be released in 2014.

[clara53_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Re-reading "Macbeth" to refresh my memory before going to see it on stage. Not even trying to assume I can write a review on this classic. But one thing jumped out at me this time: how it took almost no time at all for Macbeth to decide on his murderous deeds after the prophecy of the three witches. It seemed incredible to me how little he hesitated to fulfil that prophecy at the horrible cost. Even though he did have some guilty conscience that tormented him just before and after the king's murder, being urged by Lady Macbeth was all it took...The images are dark throughout, the choice of words is insanely striking. A very good Introduction to the play by Mark Van Doren.

[engpunk77 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Actually enjoyed this one, and I typically loathe reading Shakespeare. This and Hamlet are the only ones worth reading, in my opinion.

[martinbodek · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I cannot believe this is the first full work of Shakespeare's that I've ever read. What have I been doing all my life? The frequent, clever turns of phrase were marvelous. I lucked out with a good book edition choice. This series gives Rashi-like commentary, enabling me to understand the narrative and word choices with clarity. Julius Caesar is next. Meantime, I've got to find a Macbeth performance in my area. Interest piqued.

[trilliams · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Seems like a lot of build up to just suddenly end like that. Damn those witches and their doubletalk. Pro tip: mention this play as often at theatres as possible.

[nmg1-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

studied this play during 2nd level education. Certain lines still stick with me to this day. Amazing to think of its sheer impact, centuries into the future (and still going strong!).

[fluffyblue_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What can you say about Macbeth that's not already been said? I thought I would find it difficult to understand, having not read any Shakespeare before, but it just took a bit of slow reading and thinking about what the meaning might be. I think if you've not read Shakespeare before, this might be a good place to start.

[391_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Macbeth performed is one of the most thrilling and engrossing plays I've ever seen. Macbeth read is...well. It's Shakespeare's shortest play, and I feel like that is apparent in the rather harried and haphazard plot, the miscellany of characters who wander in and out and are never seen again, and the lack of character development for pretty much everyone who isn't Macbeth himself.But on the other hand, this play is the source of some of the greatest speeches ever written - "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,...Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,And then is heard no more. It is a taleTold by an idiot, full of sound and fury,Signifying nothing."I mean, it's just gorgeous.

[idiotgirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Audiobook. Strangely compelling. Narrated by Alan Cummings. A good part of the charm was the great Scottish reading. I have now downloaded his one man show of Macbeth. This is a very interesting project. Would probably be a .5 because of how interesting the project.

[jacketscoversread · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

“Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble!” {pg. 82}Comprised of five acts, The Tragedy of Macbeth starts as three witches agree to meet up again after a battle is fought. Originally, Macbeth starts off being portrayed as a hero, having led King Duncan’s forces successfully in battle, and hence will get a new title. The witches flatter his ego by telling him of the titles he will receive - more than he could ever have hoped - and that he will become king, ultimately.From then on, Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth become ‘evil’, and pursue the witches’ prediction, and plot to kill Duncan. They have become greedy from the prediction. The play then follows their corruption, the murders they commit, and their ultimate downfall.I prefer to watch Shakespeare’s plays rather than read them, especially when they’re very long. Lucky for me, The Tragedy of Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s shortest plays and probably has the easiest message to comprehend-the corrupted nature of power and greed, and the terrible affects it can have. However, The Tragedy of Macbeth is Shakespeare’s equivalent of a summer blockbuster. Entertaining with lots of action (fight scenes, murder), oddities (witches, ghosts, prophesies, hallucinations, and insanity) but poor character development and nothing intellectual to take from the play.

[liammurrray · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed reading this play write even after the 1st time reading it a few years earlier. Although much of the language is hard to understand as it is written by Shakespeare in a complete different time period, it expresses an awesome story about the corruption of power. Initially, Macbeth is a character of the most heroic attributes, and his first acts present him as a very noble man. It is sad to see him be brought to his downfall after his wife brings the dark side out of him and herself as well. The corruption of having a great deal of power is presented by this play, and Macbeth is brought to his death because of this pursuit of power. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Shakespeareian plays or the history of the Middle Ages.

[hamburgerclan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My daughter has shamed me a bit in recent months. She's been on a Shakespeare kick--purchasing his works here and there from book sales and the like. Me, I've read a couple of plays and seen one or two others on television. I've never got around to reading these treasures of English literature. It was this shame, and the need to find a book that would fit in my lunch box, that led me to check out Shakespeare's Macbeth. 'Tis the tale of a Scottish thane or chieftain who, tempted by a cryptic prophecy, murders his king and tries to cover it up. There is much bloodshed and guilt, all set in iambic pentameter. The story was enjoyable enough, though I have to confess, I read through the synopsis before attempting to tackle the 17th Century English. (This, the Oxford School Shakespeare edition, is chock full of notes to help us poor students along in our studies.) Reading it spoiled the drama, but also helped me follow the story. So anyway, now my own guilt has been assuaged--for the nonce--and I can get back to reading more modern fluff. I don't think the child has procured a copy of Othello yet, anyway.--J.

[msnikki · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Was a great book, at the time I had a teacher who understood how to make Shakesphere approachable to students.It could easily be staged as a leadership bid at one of those Fortune 500s all over Wall Street.

[ragwaine · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Not fun to read. A cool line every 20 lines or so. Pretty good story, I would have enjoyed it more if it was written in regular, somewhat poetic prose.

[kaelirenee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's interesting to consider the role fate has in this play. And of course, it helps to have the guides at the bottom of the page that explains some of the texts.

[paradox98_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not my favorite in any sense. An interesting read. Worth the read for the exposure to Shakespeare's writing. The story itself, however, wasn't as engaging for me personally. Because I read it at 2AM had something to do with it, I'm sure. I'll revisit it, I'm sure.

[shamille_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Anyway, Macbeth is a play about this scottish dude and some witches come up to him and they're like "hey Macbeth! You're gonna be king!" and so Macbeth thinks: Ok it's my fate... so i have to make it happen! like a dummy. So he kills the king.. and the princes flee, and Macbeth becomes king! but to keep his secret he has to kill a whole bunch of other people...But Macbeth sucks as a king, and his wife, who was all evil before, is all weak and has gone crazy.Then Macduff (yes another Mac... it's scotland) comes around with the old king's son, Malcolm. And they're like.. "no way man, Malcolm's supposed to be king! Macbeth's a tyrant!" so they pretty much overthrow him.I know i gave it away but i'm just thinking probably everyone knows this story anyway. uhhhmm.....some facts about this story:# It's really funny# When they give this play people aren't allowed to say Macbeth until it's over... it's bad luck# In Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicolson books, Georgia and her schoolmates are giving the play Macbeth. Since she can't say the name, in her diary (or whatever the hell it is) she calls it MacUseless. Which is funny, because it is.

[obrien8341 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Obviously, Shakespeare is a poetic genius. This play is beautifully written and contains messages about morality. Although Shakespeare's writing can be sometimes hard to understand, I followed this play very well and found it very entertaining. It is interesting to notice the way that fate plays a huge role in the outcome of the play.

[jpsnow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My favorite Shakespeare play so far, due to the simple depth of the plot, the cool use of the witches, and the straightforward, yet dynamic characters.

[athenamilis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Macbeth is a tragic tale of power and corruption. The main character, Macbeth, is persuaded by his wife and supernatural forces to kill the sitting king he serves in order to take the throne himself. To cover up his crime he is forced to kill others including his close friend Banquo. The plot of this story is intense and highly interesting. The inclusion of witches and voices and daggers and the tolling of bells create a level of suspense that may keep young readers on the edge of their seats if they can understand the language. The old English style is often hard for students who use the modern vernacular to understand. In addition, students need to understand that the author wrote this play to be preformed and not read. Therefore, I feel that English language learners as well as struggling readers may have trouble reading this book on their own. It is definitely a play that can be read and acted out as a whole class at the high school level.

[joles_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my absolute favorite plays by Shakespeare. The "Scottish Play" contains the supernatural, riddles and memorable quotes. It is a testament about the times and a warning to those that would deceive others to get what they want. This play is a must read/see!

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think this is one which needs to be seen. It seemed very slow to me, aside from the bits with murder and ghosts.

[benmartin79 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Shakespeare is, it goes almost without saying, likely the greatest English author ever. No one else uses the language quite as well as he does. And of all his plays, Macbeth is by far my favorite. It's short and to the point, it has one of the strongest moral messages of any of his plays, contains some of his best character development in the Lord and Lady Macbeth, and it is elegantly written, posessing several of Shakespeare's most impressive soliloquies and an excellent example of his abilities at duplicitous wordplay.

[vivienner_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It wasn't in my reading plans, but today when I came across "the Scottish play" I couldn't resist. What can I say that hasn't already been said? It is astonishing just how far ambition can push a person, and how difficult it is to live with the results. This is one of my favourites from Shakespeare. It never fails to entertain whether on the stage or on paper.

[xicanti_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a wonderful play with so many great things going on. One of my favourite lines comes when MacDuff learns that his family has been killed. He says, "Oh, my pretty chickens!" As those of you who've read the play will know, much of it revolves around the idea that fair is foul and foul is fair. Pretty chickens are fair fowls. I can't help but wonder if Shakespeare did that deliberately.Stuff like that kills me.

[the1butterfly · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Macbeth is, without a doubt, an awesome play. We read Macbeth sophomore year of high school, and I loved it, but my funniest memory of Macbeth was when some third graders got it in their heads to act out "Macbeth in space". Given that they didn't know the play as well as they thought, I gave them a quick synopsis, and this is some of what they came up with:Macbeth goes up to three (male) witches-"Am I going to be king?""Yes, until the forest moves.""How do you know?""We read it on the internet!"Then Macbeth and the king charge with swords, Macbeth knocks him down, and Lady Macbeth stabs him with a dagger and pretends to wash her hands. Then the trees come and kill Macbeth.They never actually go to outerspace...

[morgannakerrie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was my father's, now it is mine. Each fan of Shakespeare has read this one. It's a goodie.

[misslizzy_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this play my senior year of high school, and immediately enjoyed it more than HAMLET, especially because of the three Witches. And when my teacher pointed out that the punctuation within one of Lady Macbeth's paragraphs seems to connotate that she is reaching orgasm simply by talking about all the power she is about to obtain, I was hooked. I love several of the monologues.

[barb_h_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Audiobook. It was done like a play and very enjoyable =)

[judithrs · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Macbeth; Complete Study Edition. William Shakespeare, edited by Sidney Lamb. As soon as I found out the Shakespeare Festival was putting on Macbeth, I knew I wanted to see it, but I held back when I found out this production was to be set in a post-apocalyptic society. I have always wanted Shakespeare the way I think “it’s ‘sposed to be.” But the more I thought about it, the more intrigued I was. So when I decided to see it, I decided to re-read it, and I am glad I did. This is good edition for people like me who haven’t read Shakespeare. There are plenty of explanatory notes that explain the history surrounding the play and the unfamiliar vocabulary.