William Shakespeare

Macbeth William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Macbeth, or Macbeth, is one of his shorter tragedies, and was probably written between 1599-1606. Shakespeare penned the play during the reign of James V1, who was a patron of the playwright's acting company. Of all of his plays, Macbeth may best reflect Shakespeare's relationship with sovereign nobility.

The play is set primarily in Scotland, and follows the character of Macbeth, a bold Scottish general, as he becomes power-hungry and demented with political ambition. Shakespeare brilliantly portrays Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's downward spiral as they struggle with the punishing physical and psychological effects of greed.

The first act begins during a wild thunderstorm, as three witches decide they shall next meet with Macbeth, a general praised for his bravery from the Scottish army. The witches tell Macbeth and his fellow general and friend Banquo their prophecies about the men's future. Their responses seem to indicate that Macbeth will become first a "Thame of Glamis" and a "Thame of Cawdor," and then shall become "King hereafter."

Leaving the two men questioning to cryptic prophecies, the thane Ross arrives upon the scene and informs Macbeth that he is now the Thane of Cawdor, as the previous thane has been put to death for treason. With the witches' first prophecy fulfilled, Macbeth, at first skeptical, begins to imagine himself as inheriting the throne.