

He is further led down his treacherous path by his wife, Lady Macbeth, who urges him to murder King Duncan and seize the throne without hesitation. This prediction inevitably consumes him with ambition and greed. The play follows his descent from noble soldier to nefarious traitor.Īs the play begins, Macbeth receives a prophecy from three witches that one day he will become king. The shortest (and one of the bloodiest) of Shakespeare's tragedies, the story begins with victory and honors for the brave Scottish general, Macbeth. The Tragedy of Macbeth play is one of William Shakespeare's best-known works. Please note: This summary comprises the full story of Macbeth and therefore contains spoilers!

The play examines important themes such as the danger of unbridled ambition, the contrast between a true leader and a tyrant, and the age-old debate of fate vs. In this moment, he becomes not a king, but a tyrant, and ultimately it is this flaw in his character, his violent ambition, that leads to his downfall. We watch Macbeth as he is tempted by the lure of the crown, and ultimately-with prodding from Lady Macbeth-decides to murder King Duncan and usurp the throne. While it is not one of his more elaborately constructed works, it nonetheless examines the complicated nature of the human soul, especially when tempted with power and ambition.

William Shakespeare's Macbeth continues to be one of his most celebrated plays, even today.
