Macbeth

William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.8

Word count: 108K words
Chapters: 11

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: German, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Nov 1, 2004

Editor's review

This Project Gutenberg edition of Macbeth is the shortest and gloomiest of Shakespeare's four great tragedies, using the witches' prophecy as a thread to show how ambition devours human nature step by step. Readers can see Shakespeare's concentrated portrayal of the lust for power, guilt, and the irony of fate; monologues and dialogues move at a tight pace, with dense and powerful imagery. What makes this electronic edition special is that its language is marked as German, meaning the main text may be a German translation, suitable for readers who want to study by comparing translated texts or learn German; those who only want the English original need to find another edition. When reading, it is advisable to focus on three passages: the witches' lines, Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene, and the "tomorrow and tomorrow" monologue, which correspond to the three levels of temptation, collapse, and nihilism. The work is short and suitable as a primer for tragedy or a source text for drama class discussion.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Chinese readers who want a quick entry into Shakespeare's tragic world
German learners studying a German translation of Macbeth or doing German-English comparison
Drama club members looking for a short, performable classic play
Literature lovers interested in the themes of power and ambition

Not a good fit for

Readers who only want the English original and do not accept parallel translations
Beginners to Shakespeare who expect detailed notes and introductions
Readers sensitive to dark and violent imagery

Reading tips

First read through once to clarify the plot, then go back to the passages where the witches' three prophecies appear.
Extract Lady Macbeth's lines and read them together to observe her transformation from dominance to collapse.
If reading the German edition, keep an English original on hand to compare key monologues.
After reading, try to summarize in one sentence the cost of "ambition" in this play to test your 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

Is this edition in English or German?

According to the e-book's metadata, the language is German, and the main text should be a German translation. If you need the English original, it is advisable to find an edition marked as English, or use this edition for comparison reading.

Can I read Macbeth directly without having read Shakespeare before?

Yes. This play is the shortest of Shakespeare's tragedies, with a clear plotline, making it suitable as an introduction. However, it contains many archaic words and images, so it is advisable to use notes or learn the story outline first.

Which passages should I pay most attention to while reading?

Focus on the witches' opening prophecy, the dialogue in which Lady Macbeth persuades her husband to commit murder, the sleepwalking hand-washing scene, and Macbeth's "tomorrow" monologue after he learns of his wife's death; these four passages embody the play's themes.

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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.