Macbeth

by William Shakespeare · 1606

Macbeth is a short Shakespearean tragedy set in Scotland that follows the rise and fall of a brave general whose ambition is ignited by three witches' prophecies. After hearing he will become Thane of Cawdor and later king, Macbeth, spurred by Lady Macbeth, murders King Duncan to seize the throne. Consumed by guilt and paranoia, he arranges the murders of Banquo, Macduff's family, and others, while haunted by visions and Banquo's ghost. The play explores themes of unchecked ambition, the corrupting influence of power, fate versus free will, and the psychological toll of guilt, culminating in Macbeth's defeat by Macduff and the restoration of order under Malcolm.