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Macbeth Texts and Contexts (Bedford Shakespeare Series)
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Macbeth Texts and Contexts (Bedford Shakespeare Series) Hardcover - 1999

by Shakespeare, William

About this book

Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a tragic play that delves into the destructive consequences of unchecked ambition. The story follows Macbeth, a Scottish nobleman, who, driven by his wife's relentless ambition and the prophecies of three witches, succumbs to his own inner darkness. As he ascends to the throne through deceit, Macbeth becomes consumed by guilt and paranoia. The play explores themes of power, guilt, fate, and the corrupting nature of ambition. Through vivid imagery, complex characters, and dramatic soliloquies, Shakespeare masterfully crafts a tale that exposes the psychological turmoil and moral decay that accompany the pursuit of power, leaving the audience with a haunting reflection on the human condition.

Macbeth's precise date remains uncertain, but it is generally considered contemporaneous with other canonical tragedies such as Hamlet, Othello, and King Lear. While some suggest an original writing date as early as 1599, it is more likely that the play was composed no earlier than 1603, celebrating King James' ancestors and the Stuart accession to the throne. Scholars believe Macbeth was written in 1606, following the Gunpowder Plot, with references and allusions to the plot and its trials. The play also reflects the political context of James' reign, exploring themes of kingship and rebellion.

From the publisher

This edition of Shakespeare's Macbeth reprints the Bevington edition of the play accompanied by five sets of primary, documents and illustrations thematically arranged to offer a richly textured understanding of early modern culture and Shakespeare's work within that culture. The texts include facsimiles of period documents, excerpts from King James's writings on politics, contemporary, writings on the nature of kingship and tyrannicide, Puritan and Catholic tracts, conduct book literature, and contemporary witchcraft pamphlets.

First line

1 WITCH When shall we three meet again

First Edition Identification

The “First Folio” of 1623 remains the primary source for the play and the only early printed text, although some interpolations and additions are suspected. The “First Folio” is indeed the first printing of 36 of Shakespeare’s plays, and it was first published in 1623 by Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard. It is believed there were 750 copies of the First Folio printed in 1623. Only 235 of those are known to survive today, most of them held by The Folger Shakespeare Library.

Details

  • Title Macbeth Texts and Contexts (Bedford Shakespeare Series)
  • Author Shakespeare, William
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Publisher St. Martin's Press
  • Date September 1999
  • ISBN 9780312210687

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