Macbeth

William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.8

Word count: 173K words
Chapters: 18

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Macbeth by William ShakespeareAuthor: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616,Language: French, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Oct 25, 2004

Editor's review

This is the Project Gutenberg electronic edition of Macbeth, one of Shakespeare's four great tragedies; the materials indicate the text language is French and it belongs to the PR class (English literature) of public-domain texts. The work follows the Scottish general Macbeth, whose ambition and prophecy drive him to murder the king and seize the throne before his final downfall, showing how the desire for power gradually consumes the human heart; witches' prophecies, murder, and guilt intertwine in tightly powerful psychological portrayal. The distinctiveness of this electronic edition lies in its French presentation: for readers accustomed to the English original, it offers a defamiliarizing reading experience and facilitates comparison with a French translation to observe shifts in dialogue and imagery. It is suitable as an advanced text after an introduction to Shakespeare, or for studying translation, comparative literature, and dramatic dialogue. As a free public-domain e-book, its layout and annotations are plain, so readers should supply background knowledge or consult other editions; reading in a quiet setting act by act, with a character chart, is recommended.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have read introductory Shakespeare and wish to study the tragedies in depth
Learners of French who hope to improve through literary texts
Students and researchers in theater, translation, or comparative literature
Organizers needing free public-domain electronic texts for classes or reading groups

Not a good fit for

Beginners with no exposure to Shakespeare who need detailed annotations and guidance
Readers accustomed only to modern vernacular fiction and impatient with verse dialogue
Readers expecting a Chinese translation or bilingual edition

Reading tips

Read a plot summary and character list first, then read act by act, reviewing key conflicts after each act.
Excerpt key passages such as the witches' prophecies and the Macbeths' dialogue, and compare wording across translations.
If French is limited, read an English or Chinese version first, then use the French edition for close comparative reading.
After finishing, try summarizing the trajectory of Macbeth's psychological change in one paragraph to test depth of understanding.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What language is the text of this edition of Macbeth?

According to the materials, the language of this electronic edition is marked as French; it is a Project Gutenberg public-domain text. It is therefore not the English original. Readers who want Shakespeare's English dialogue as written need an English edition; those wishing to practice French reading through Shakespeare will find this edition unusually useful for comparison.

Does the Project Gutenberg edition have annotations and an introduction?

Project Gutenberg mainly provides free public-domain e-books, usually preserving only the text with plain layout and annotations; it generally does not include scholarly introductions, detailed notes, or character charts. When reading an imagery-dense verse play like Macbeth, it is advisable to have introductory materials at hand or consult other annotated editions.

Can I read this if I have never read Shakespeare?

You can try, but there will be some threshold. Macbeth is short and tightly plotted, making it suitable as an introduction to Shakespeare, but verse dialogue, historical background, and the French text all add difficulty. It is advisable to learn the plot summary and main characters first, then read act by act, slowing down at difficult lines and consulting English or Chinese translations when necessary.

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About the author

William Shakespeare Author · English · 1564–1616

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was the greatest playwright, poet and actor of the English Renaissance. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he is known as the "Bard of Avon." He wrote roughly thirty-seven to thirty-nine plays, one hundred and fifty-four sonnets and narrative poems. His representative works include Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. His works span tragedy, comedy and history play, distinguished by rich, poetic language and profound characterization. His explorations of human nature, power, love and fate have had a lasting influence, and his works have been translated into many languages and circulated widely around the world.