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Macbeth

by William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

  • Free to read
  • 1 hour to read
  • 28 chapters
  • Reading level: 6th grade

"Macbeth" by William Shakespeare is a tragedy first performed in 1606. When a Scottish general receives a prophecy from three witches that he will become king, his ambition ignites. Spurred by his wife, Macbeth murders his way to the throne through violent betrayal. But seizing power proves easier than keeping it. Consumed by guilt and paranoia, the new king descends into tyranny and madness, committing further murders to secure his position. This dark exploration of ambition's corrupting force remains Shakespeare's shortest and most psychologically intense tragedy.

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  • Tragedies (Drama)
  • Regicides
  • Macbeth, King of Scotland, active 11th century
  • Scotland · Kings and rulers

Read the opening

Scene I: An open Place

Thunder and Lightning. Enter three Witches.

FIRST WITCH.
When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

SECOND WITCH.
When the hurlyburly’s done,
When the battle’s lost and won.

THIRD WITCH.
That will be ere the set of sun.

FIRST WITCH.
Where the place?

Keep reading Macbeth →

Contents

Show all 28 chapters
  1. Scene I: An open Place
  2. Scene II: A Camp near Forres
  3. Scene III: A heath
  4. Scene IV: Forres. A Room in the Palace
  5. Scene V: Inverness. A Room in Macbeth’s Castle
  6. Scene VI: The same. Before the Castle
  7. Scene VII: The same. A Lobby in the Castle
  8. Scene I: Inverness. Court within the Castle
  9. Scene II: The same
  10. Scene III: The same
  11. Scene IV: The same. Without the Castle
  12. Scene I: Forres. A Room in the Palace
  13. Scene II: The same. Another Room in the Palace
  14. Scene III: The same. A Park or Lawn, with a gate leading to the Palace
  15. Scene IV: The same. A Room of state in the Palace
  16. Scene V: The heath
  17. Scene VI: Forres. A Room in the Palace
  18. Scene I: A dark Cave. In the middle, a Cauldron Boiling
  19. Scene II: Fife. A Room in Macduff’s Castle
  20. Scene III: England. Before the King’s Palace
  21. Scene I: Dunsinane. A Room in the Castle
  22. Scene II: The Country near Dunsinane
  23. Scene III: Dunsinane. A Room in the Castle
  24. Scene IV: Country near Dunsinane: a Wood in view
  25. Scene V: Dunsinane. Within the castle
  26. Scene VI: The same. A Plain before the Castle
  27. Scene VII: The same. Another Part of the Plain
  28. Scene VIII: The same. Another Part of the field

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About this edition

This free edition of Macbeth by William Shakespeare comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #1533, released 1998-11-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Plays/Films/Dramas, Classics of Literature, British Literature.

Other editions: eBook #1795, eBook #2264.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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