Customer Reviews

Macbeth (New Folger Library Shakespeare)

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In a sense, Shakespeare treaded on Gothic elements in his play Macbeth, which premiered after Queen Elizabeth had died and King James, who had heritage in Scotland, became the new King of England. James knew about his infamous ancestor Macbeth and commissioned the Bard to write a thrilling work of theatre which recounted the historic tale of Macbeth. There really was a Macbeth, but much of the story is fictional, save for the names of people and places. Macbeth is Shakespeare's darkest tragedy. On the New Folgers Library Edition, we are treated to the very best of scholarly information regarding the creation of the play, and the political and theatrical world of Shakespeare's day. This is the best printed version of Macbeth you will find today. And for this reader, it is a play perfect for this Halloween season. The plot, without giving much of it away in a summary, is quite simple but powerful in its impact. In Medieval England, the minor nobleman Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth plot to murder the current king of Scotland. Their ambitions are spurred when three mysterious witches foretell their success. However, as Macbeth maintains power, he becomes fearful of losing it. He orders the deaths of allies and friends out of insecurity. Eventually his own ambition becomes his downfall and a new king arises. Since its premiere, Macbeth has been rumored to be "cursed". Throughout the years, including the twentieth century, reports of accidents and even deaths have circulated involving certain productions of Macbeth. The elements in the play are dark and quintessentially Gothic- flying daggers, constant darkness and fog, ghosts, witches, apparitions including dead kings and bloody children. In the 19th century this would encompass the material of Gothic literature but in Shakespeare's time it was part of thrilling drama. Supernatural beings like ghosts were featured in other Shakespeare tragedies -Hamlet and Julius Caesar for instance. The belief in witches was prevalent in Puritan/Protestant/Catholic England, after all this was still the time of the Inquisition. So the featured Three Witches would have actually been regarded as a true part of history even. This play has many fine moments. All of Macbeth's quotes are memorable but especially his "Out, Out Brief Candle! Life is but a walking shadow..." The role of Lady Macbeth, if played well, can be the signature role of many actresses. She is Shakespeare's most evil creations. She drives Macbeth to murder because she is perhaps even more ambitious than him. Her being a female is her only setback. But she is an empowered and vile woman, even regarded as something of a witch herself. The play inspired several film versions including director Roman Polanski's version in 1971 and in the 19th century an opera by Verdi.

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