Macbeth

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I have brought you another one of Shakespeare's great tragedies. Hope you enjoy it!!!

The Tragedy of Macbeth, often shortened to Macbeth, is one of Shakespeare’s most acclaimed tragedies. The strong, unconventional character of Lady Macbeth, in particular, has garnered praise. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. The play involves the titular character, Macbeth, murdering the king of Scotland, Duncan, in his lust for power following a dubious meeting with three witches, and his own gruesome death at the hands of a nobleman, Macduff.

The play opens amidst thunder and lightning, and three witches speculate upon who their next prey shall be. They eventually decide it shall be Lord Macbeth, who is the Thane of Glamis. He is returning to the capital after a grim battle against the Thane of Cawdor who was guilty of treason. He is accompanied by Banquo, another nobleman. They are accosted by the witches, who address Macbeth as “The Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glamis” and “he shall be king hereafter.” Macbeth is both confused and delighted by these prophecies; while he is wondering about these prophecies, the witches vanish, and a pageboy arrives to  inform Macbeth that he is to be appointed Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth marvels at his good fortune. He now begins to plot to seize the throne for himself. The next night, King Duncan arrives at his castle, wishing to enjoy his hospitality.  Lady Macbeth, a strong willed, avaricious woman, persuades her husband to murder the king. Macbeth reluctantly does so while the king is sleeping. They plant the evidence on Duncan’s guards. The two princes, Duncan’s sons, flee the country and decide to bide their time. Macbeth now seizes the throne. This makes Banquo highly suspicious of him. Fearing Banquo’s suspicions, Macbeth has him brutally murdered, but his son, Fleance, escapes. Disturbed, and beginning to slip into insanity, he visits the witches once more. They warn him to “  beware of Macduff”. However, they also tell him that no child born of woman can kill him. Satisfied, Macbeth returns to his castle, only to find that his wife has killed herself because her guilt would give her no rest. Meanwhile, Macduff is forced to flee when his wife and children are savagely slaughtered by Macbeth’s forces. Determined to avenge his wife and children, he raises an army in England and returns to do battle with Macbeth, who boasts that he has nothing to fear as he cannot be killed by anyone born of woman. Macduff, however, was not born naturally; he was born through caesarean section, and is thus able to kill Macbeth. Once the battle is over, he places Duncan’s son, Malcolm on the throne, and Malcolm discusses how justice has been done.

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