Macbeth - William Shakespeare

Ahh, Shakespeare! How I love thee! So I decided to pick up Macbeth, mainly because of the the superstition that surrounds it. Don't you dare utter the name in a theater! Instead, it is referred to as "the Scottish play." Intrigued, I decided to find out for myself what all the fuss was about.

Macbeth is a brave general in King Duncan's Scottish army. While returning from the battlefield with his friend Banquo, Macbeth encounters Three Witches who prophesize three things: 1) Macbeth will be thane of Cawdor, 2) Macbeth will be king, 3) Banquo will not be king, but his children will be. When Macbeth meets up with King Duncan, he discovers that he has indeed been promoted to thane of Cawdor. The King then informs Macbeth that he will be spending the night in his castle. So Macbeth rushes home to alert Lady Macbeth about the King's arrival and also about the prophesies. Lady Macbeth realizes that her husband is too kind and will never have the courage to get what he wants. Thus, she suggests killing the King in his sleep and blaming the murder on his servants, ensuring that Macbeth will ascend to the throne. This plan is carried out, but with misgivings on Macbeth's part. Soon the Witches' second prophecy also comes true and Macbeth is crowned King. But rather than enjoy the luxuries of his position, he is constantly haunted by the consequences of his actions.

I enjoyed Macbeth very much, although it is not my favorite Shakespeare play. I was especially impressed by the way in which Shakespeare conveyed the spooky surroundings and how well they tied in with the plot. If you are looking for a quick classic, Macbeth is a good option; I finished it in about 2 days, and probably could have finished it more quickly if I hadn't been so busy. My only complaint would be that as I got closer and closer to the end, the plot line became more and more predictable, but it was still an enjoyable read. I also made it easier on myself by reading Barron's Simply Shakespeare edition, which provides modern line translations.