Macbeth

The bestselling, authoritative Folger Shakespeare Library edition of Macbeth, featuring Shakespeare's complete original text, expert annotations, scene-by-scene summaries, and trusted scholarship for students, teachers, and general readers.

For more than seventy years, the Folger Shakespeare Library editions have been the standard classroom and reading editions of Shakespeare's plays. Used in high schools, colleges, universities, and theaters around the world, each volume combines the complete original text with expert editorial guidance that makes Shakespeare's language more accessible while preserving every nuance of the play.

One of Shakespeare's most powerful tragedies, Macbeth tells the story of a celebrated Scottish general whose encounter with three mysterious witches sets him on a path of ambition, murder, and tyranny. Haunted by prophecy and driven by his own desires, and those of Lady Macbeth, he sacrifices honor, friendship, and ultimately his humanity in pursuit of power. Exploring ambition, fate, guilt, conscience, and corruption, Macbeth remains one of Shakespeare's most frequently studied, performed, and discussed plays.

Whether you're reading Macbeth for school, teaching it in the classroom, preparing for AP English Literature, studying Shakespeare in college, performing the play, or simply returning to one of the greatest works of English literature, this edition provides the context and guidance to help you read Shakespeare with confidence.

This Folger Shakespeare Library edition includes:

-Shakespeare's complete original text, carefully edited from the best early printed version of the play
-Clear explanatory notes conveniently placed on facing pages
-Scene-by-scene plot summaries for quick review and study
-An introduction to Shakespeare's language and dramatic style
-A guide to the play's most famous speeches, quotations, and memorable lines
-A scholarly introduction exploring the play's historical background, themes, characters, and enduring significance
-An essay by acclaimed Shakespeare scholar Susan Snyder
-Illustrations and images from the Folger Shakespeare Library's world-renowned collections
-An annotated guide for further reading and study

Originally written during the reign of King James I, Macbeth reflects early 17th-century concerns about kingship, political power, treason, prophecy, and witchcraft. Yet its exploration of moral responsibility, ambition, violence, and the consequences of unchecked power continues to resonate with readers and audiences around the world, making it one of Shakespeare's most enduring and widely taught works.

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works and one of the world's leading centers for Shakespeare scholarship, performance, and education. Every Folger Shakespeare Library edition combines authoritative scholarship with practical classroom support, making it an ideal choice for students, educators, actors, book clubs, and anyone seeking an accessible, reliable edition of Shakespeare's original plays.