The Tragedy of Macbeth

by William Shakespeare

Overview

This is the most extensively annotated edition of Macbeth currently available, offering a thorough reconsideration of one of Shakespeare's most popular plays.A full and accessible introduction studies the immediate theatrical and political contexts of Macbeth's composition and treats such celebrated issues as whether the Witches compel Macbeth to murder and whether Lady Macbeth is herself a witch. An extensive, well illustrated account of the play in performance examines several cinematic versions, such as those by Kurosawa and Roman Polanski, and other dramatic adaptations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789361441950
Publisher:	Neelkanth Prakashan
Publication date:	05/13/2024
Pages:	138
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.32(d)

About the Author

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.

Date of Death:

2018

Place of Birth:

Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Place of Death:

Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Read an Excerpt

This book is written in Spanish. Macbeth es una de las grandes tragedias de William Shakespeare (1564-1616). Macbeth, el gran general del ejército del rey de Escocia, regresa victorioso después de una campaña de apaciguamiento cuando sucumbe a la tentación del poder. Desde entonces un mundo tenebroso y mágico, de apariciones y desconfianzas, sembrará de crímenes la pacífica vida de los escoceses hasta que Macbeth muere como habían viticinado las brujas.

Table of Contents

	Macbeth: a play for the king	v
	Leading Characters in the Play	vii
	Macbeth: The play	ix
	Macbeth: The man	xx
	Shakespeare's Verse	xxiv
	Date and Text	xxv
	Characters in the Play	xxvi
	Macbeth	1
	Macbeth: The source	86
	Classwork and Examinations	93
	Discussion	93
	Character Study	94
	Activities	96
	Context Questions	97
	Comprehension Questions	99
	Essays	102
	Projects	103
	Background	104
	Government	104
	Religion	104
	Education	105
	Language	105
	Drama	106
	Theatre	106
	Selected Further Reading	108
	William Shakespeare 1564-1616	109
	List of Shakespeare's Plays	111

Editorial Reviews

Based on an HBO animated series, these condensations emphasize the dramatic content of some of Shakespeare's best known works. As abridged by Garfield in consultation with a panel of scholars, the books on the whole retain the magic of Shakespeare's vision and remain true to his poetics. Linguistic fluidity is perforce sacrificed (omitted lines are presented as italicized summaries interspersed throughout the dialogue), but these versions should still fire children's imaginations. Though the artwork varies in quality, the Eastern European illustrators generally capture the underlying theatrics. Palettes are subdued for the dramas, and appropriately brighter for the comedies (though the tone reproductions frequently seem off). Several plays' illustrations have a cartoony appearance; a few exhibit the stilted look of old Classics Comics. While the plays forgo their complexities--many subplots are omitted--as they become more linear in their themes (Macbeth loses much of his humanity, Romeo and Juliet is pared of its politics), their nobility shines through in these visualized introductions. One hopes that readers will be encouraged to move on to the originals. Ages 10-up. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

This production of Romeo and Juliet featuring Kenneth Branagh and Sir John Gielgud is a superb contribution to the field of classics on cassette. The stunning performance by the Renaissance Theatre Company captures all the color and emotion of Shakespeare's eloquent tragedy of young love. With Samantha Bond as Juliet, Derek Jacobi as Mercutio, and Judi Dench as Nurse, the play, which is set in 16th-century Verona, contains some of the most passionate dialog ever written. An excellent musical score by Patrick Doyle accompanies the actors, as well as a full array of authentic sound effects. The pounding of hooves, the chiming of church bells, and the clashing of angry swords enrich this outstanding listening experience. A 24-page booklet complete with sketches and photos of the actors, a synopsis of the play, and background information is included in the package. Highly recommended for most libraries.-Gretchen Browne, Rockville Centre P.L., N.Y.

Library Journal

Gr 2-7--Macbeth has strong appeal for young audiences and Coville's lucid retelling captures much of it. Aided by the short, intense, and uninterrupted story line of the play, the reteller deftly weaves many of the most familiar quotes with his own dramatic narrative. In a short preface that sketches a quick history of the play's popularity, Coville invokes cultural literacy as one of his missions. Despite this heavy burden, he carries off the telling with grace. Kelley's dark, evocative pastels reflect and intensify the ominous mood. Glowering hillsides, gloomy interiors, the handsome and doomed Macbeths, and truly ghastly witches create a mood worthy of the play. The only unfortunate image is the weak-chinned Macbeth reacting to Banquo's ghost with a look more comic than horrified. Darkness prevails until the final painting of light morning skies over the hills. Coville's muscular sentences, full of dramatic word choices, make this a good read-aloud choice. While not avoiding the horrors in the story, the reteller does not dwell on the goriest moments, letting the worst, such as the slaughtering of Macduff's children, happen offstage. The accurate depiction of the story will give older students or casual playgoers a good quick review. If it doesn't end up lost among the picture books, this retelling could have many uses.--Sally Margolis, formerly at Deerfield Public Library, IL

School Library Journal

Directors Welles, Nunn, and Polanski, and actors Garrick, Siddons, Olivier, and McKellen, are among those mentioned in an analysis of stage and screen productions of Macbeth. After a brief survey of earlier productions, focuses on the 20th century. Includes a few stills and drawings. distributed by St. Martin's. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"A superb edition of the play that offers original and much-needed commentary on its political and historical setting and the complex psychological and philosophical questions that arise from the question of succession, the history of Scotland, and most of all the tension between the old heroic virtues and the new Christian dispensation that comes to a crisis in Macbeth’s murder of King Duncan and his defeat by Malcolm, Duncan’s eldest son. This is the first edition I’ve encountered whose notes proved to be a fascinating read in themselves. With the illuminating Introduction, they provide helpfully compendious aid for accurate reading as well as a context-specific commentary on vital aspects of the drama rarely addressed and typically neglected, insufficiently developed, or unrecognized.
       "Rather than making narrow probes into the plot’s politics and history, Blits opens unexplored chambers of implication and significance that affect the complex emotional load of the drama as well as its particular significance. And that significance is both historical and contemporary in the sense that it looks back to a turning point in Scotland’s history with important implications for King James I, the play’s patron and, in terms of its substance, its inheritor. Blits shows just how important that turning point is, not merely as a defeat of a bewitched tyrant but as an arduous, not fully complete transition from one way of being kind (and being human) to another."
—John C. Briggs, Professor, Department of English, University of California Riverside

From the Publisher