Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Overview – When I first started reading Shakespeare there were three plays of his which were more popular and held as his best works. These are Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. Hamlet can be seen one of the greatest literary achievements of all time. Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous love stories of all time. Macbeth on the other hand was always put in a different light for me. Shrouded in mystery the tale of this play sometimes didn’t go pass the saying the play name. I remember watching the Simpsons a show I watched often growing up (I have an excellent sense of time now because of how much I watched TV growing up) in the show sign drops in the street and the character mention “Macbeth” is in town but whenever someone says the name of the play something bad would happen mentioning that the play was cursed. Me feeling I didn’t need any other bad things happening to me I stayed away from it. But this was a mistake and once I bought the complete works of Shakespeare I read it and it was so good I read it twice and made a song about it. I love this play every idea embedded in each Act I was well pleased with this play.

Theme – Be careful of your ambitions and the road you take to achieve them

Biggest takeaway – Macbeth becoming the king after killing his friend, the former king, he goes through an extensive range of emotions one namely being remorse and guilt. His madness takes over him after killing his friend Banquo seeing him in images when he is not there. This really drove home the point for me of how ambition when negatively pursued can warp our whole being, where honor and loyalty turn to deception and death. Macbeth turned blood hungry after the murder and sought to kill anyone who suspected his hand in the king’s death. His mind drifted then sank into a formless pit where misery resided, anxiety his next of kin, and paranoia his master. “My mind is a den of scorpions dear wife” was a refrain he made to his wife detailing the anguish he felt for what he’d done the slaying of his friend and king who entrusted. Macbeth could not sit with the decision he made. When he was killed and became headless the false crown, he wore was sullied no more and could return to the righteous partakers of the throne.

Overall Satisfaction - 10/10 Absolutely Excellent.

Comments on the Author – Greatest dramatist and playwrights. This is a fantastic display of knowledge of human nature, death, guilt, remorse, and revenge. As well as a master class of pace structure and dialogue. Wonderful from start to finish.