The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [940]
The play is famous for its treatment of the supernatural, especially with the characters of the three witches that haunt Macbeth with their prophecies. In the world of theatre, many actors believe that the play is cursed, and will not mention its title aloud, referring to it instead as ‘the Scottish play’. It is believed by some this is because Shakespeare stole actual spells from a coven of witches to include in the play, which was then cursed. There are many reports of tragic occurrences during the performance of this play in theatres across the world.
The first act of the play opens amidst thunder and lightning with the Three Sisters deciding that their next meeting shall be with Macbeth. In the following scene, a wounded sergeant reports to King Duncan of Scotland that his generals — Macbeth, who is the Thane of Glamis, and Banquo — have just defeated the allied forces of Norway and Ireland, who were led by the traitor Macdonwald. Macbeth, the King's kinsman, is praised for his bravery and fighting prowess. However, once he meets the witches and is tempted by ambition, Macbeth’s character soon makes a dramatic change…
Shakespeare's main source text for this play is available via this link.
The First Folio printing of the play
Macbeth and the Three Witches by Theodore Chasseria, 1855
CONTENTS
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ACT I. SCENE I. A desert place. Thunder and lightning.
SCENE II. A camp near Forres. Alarum within.
SCENE III. A heath. Thunder.
SCENE IV. Forres. The palace.
SCENE V. Inverness. Macbeth's castle.
SCENE VI. Before Macbeth's castle. Hautboys and torches.
SCENE VII Macbeth's castle. Hautboys and torches.
ACT II. SCENE I. Inverness. Court of Macbeth's castle.
SCENE II. The same.
SCENE III. The same.
SCENE IV. Outside Macbeth's castle.
ACT III. SCENE I. Forres. The palace.
SCENE II. The palace.
SCENE III. A park near the palace.
SCENE IV. A Hall in the palace. A banquet prepared.
SCENE V. A heath. Thunder.
SCENE VI. Forres. The palace.
ACT IV. SCENE I. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron. Thunder.
SCENE II. Fife. Macduff's castle.
SCENE III. England. Before the King's palace.
ACT V. SCENE I. Dunsinane. Anteroom in the castle.
SCENE II. The country near Dunsinane. Drum and colors.
SCENE III. Dunsinane. A room in the castle.
SCENE IV. Country near Birnam Wood. Drum and colors.
SCENE V. Dunsinane. Within the castle.
SCENE VI. Dunsinane. Before the castle.
SCENE VII. Dunsinane. Before the castle. Alarums.
SCENE VIII. Another part of the field.
SCENE IX.
The Roman Polanski 1971 film adaptation
The authentic 1997 Scottish version
The 2007 Australian mob movie version
Patrick Stewart in the 2010 TV adaptation, noted for its modern hanlding of the tragedy
Macbeth and Banquo with the Witches by Henry Fuseli
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
DUNCAN, King of Scotland
MACBETH, Thane of Glamis and Cawdor, a general in the King's army
LADY MACBETH, his wife
MACDUFF, Thane of Fife, a nobleman of Scotland
LADY MACDUFF, his wife
MALCOLM, elder son of Duncan
DONALBAIN, younger son of Duncan
BANQUO, Thane of Lochaber, a general in the King's army
FLEANCE, his son
LENNOX, nobleman of Scotland
ROSS, nobleman of Scotland
MENTEITH nobleman of Scotland
ANGUS, nobleman of Scotland
CAITHNESS, nobleman of Scotland
SIWARD, Earl of Northumberland, general of the English forces
YOUNG SIWARD, his son
SEYTON, attendant to Macbeth
HECATE, Queen of the Witches
The Three Witches
Boy, Son of Macduff
Gentlewoman attending on Lady Macbeth
An English Doctor
A Scottish Doctor
A Sergeant
A Porter
An Old Man
The Ghost of Banquo and other Apparitions
Lords, Gentlemen, Officers, Soldiers, Murtherers, Attendants,
and Messengers