Macbeth by William Shakespeare is set mainly in Scotland in the eleventh century. The play opens with thunder and lightning and a scene between three witches who plan to meet Macbeth on the heath. Meanwhile Macbeth, a Scottish army general fights and overcomes the Irish rebels led by Macdonwald. King Duncan of Scotland, upon hearing about Macbeth’s valour on the battlefield confers him with the title of Thane of Cawdor.
Macbeth and another army general Banquo encounter the three witches on the moor and the witches tell Macbeth that he would be appointed as Thane. The witches talk in riddles and also tell Macbeth that he would be king. Macbeth is intrigued by what the witches tell him and he informs his wife about it. Lady Macbeth is an extremely ambitious, ruthless and cruel woman who manipulates Macbeth and persuades him to murder King Duncan. Macbeth becomes King but he is tyrannical and violent and loses the support of Scottish nobles. King Duncan’s son Malcolm along with a Scottish nobleman named Macduff who is against Macbeth and whose wife and children have been murdered by Macbeth, plot to overthrow him. The play explores the themes of kingship, retribution and revenge.
Reviewed by Hannah George