Macbeth
by William Shakespeare
246 pages // published in 1606 // classic play
BOOK DESCRIPTION
One night on the heath, the brave and respected general Macbeth encounters three witches who foretell that he will become king of Scotland. At first sceptical, he’s urged on by the ruthless, single-minded ambitions of Lady Macbeth, who suffers none of her husband’s doubt. But seeing the prophecy through to the bloody end leads them both spiralling into paranoia, tyranny, madness, and murder. This shocking tragedy - a violent caution to those seeking power for its own sake - is, to this day, one of Shakespeare’s most popular and influential masterpieces.
One night on the heath, the brave and respected general Macbeth encounters three witches who foretell that he will become king of Scotland. At first sceptical, he’s urged on by the ruthless, single-minded ambitions of Lady Macbeth, who suffers none of her husband’s doubt. But seeing the prophecy through to the bloody end leads them both spiralling into paranoia, tyranny, madness, and murder. This shocking tragedy - a violent caution to those seeking power for its own sake - is, to this day, one of Shakespeare’s most popular and influential masterpieces.
My first venture into Shakespeare's world... And I ended up with the dark tragedy, The Scottish Play itself. Macbeth. I think I like it.
A story of man's (and woman's) selfish desires to be powerful and leader over all; of the sinful and murderous natures that humans have; of the effects of guilt and shame that take a toll on a person who has committed horrible actions...
This play is an interesting study of human nature to contrast Macbeth's actions with that of his wife's. The one, who cannot secretly harbor the evil deed in his heart, the other who has the mental calmness to plot, theorize, and coordinating the whole scheme to get to her desired destination: the royal throne of Scotland. What opposites they are, yet this couple still works out one of the sneakiest assassinations ever known -- fictionally, of course.
Now, it's really not a long play to read. (I was glad for that, as I was just wanting to test the waters of the Bard. I feel like I could read more from him in the future and not feel daunted by the task.) The Old English phrasings may be something you have to adjust to while reading, but I personally felt like I was able to understand the scenes fairly well.
Minimum age to read: 16 and up.
Book #5 completed // Classic Play
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I have not read Shakespeare since school. But I should! Thanks for the nudge. My college produced a couple of Shakespearean plays each year, and I grew to enjoy watching them.
ReplyDeleteWell, you're more advanced than I am in Shakespeare, Barbara! :) It was not mandatory reading in school for me, so I had never read anything by him before now.
DeleteWhat really helped me though, since I'm reading it by myself, is that I read the "No Fear Shakespeare" edition, which allows you to read the original play alongside a modern translation. So helpful for better comprehension!