Macbeth

by Wim Coleman (Adaptor), William Shakespeare (Creator)

In its concentration of interest upon the protagonists, Macbeth can be seen as Shakespeare's experiment in unity of focus, whose chief appeal arises from the struggles of the central characters with each other and with the infernal powers that inspire or govern them. Over the centuries, the vision of directors like Welles, Nunn and Polanski, as well as the eloquent talents of actors like Garrick, Siddons, Olivier and McKellen have contributed to the central debate of the Who or what is culpable? Bernice W. Kliman, in her analysis of Macbeth in performance, examines major productions of the play on both stage and screen, thereby inviting the reader to contemplate directors' and actors' choices for what is arguably Shakespeare's most compelling play.

Genres: Plays, Classics, Read For School

272 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2004

About the author

Wim Coleman is a playwright, poet, novelist, and nonfiction writer. His play "The Mad Scene" won First Place in the Script category of the 91st Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Another play, "The Shackles of Liberty," was the winner of the 2016 Southern Playwrights Competition. Two collections of his one-act plays, "Nine Muses" and "Stages of History," are currently in print, and his plays have appeared in anthologies along with works by authors ranging from Molière to David Mamet. His book of poetry, "I.O.U.," was published in 2020 by Adelaide Books. Novels that he has co-authored with his wife, Pat Perrin, include "Anna’s World," the Silver Medalist in the 2008 Moonbeam Awards, and "The Jamais Vu Papers," a 2011 finalist for the Eric Hoffer/Montaigne Medal. Wim and Pat lived for fourteen years in Mexico, where they adopted their daughter, Monserrat, and created and administered a scholarship program for at-risk students. Wim and Pat now live in Carrboro, North Carolina. They are active members of PEN International; Wim is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and the Academy of American Poets.

Reviews

[Megan Schumacher]

Personal Response
I enjoyed Macbeth because it has a deep plot and multiple themes to explore. Themes such as kingship, appearance versus reality, and fate versus free will come to mind. Macbeth kept me on my toes because there were some plot twists, as well as challenging's of the times norms. It is a deeply psychological book because of how we see Macbeth's internal conflict and his Dagger of the Mind speech.

Summary
Macbeth stumbles across some witches that tell him he is to be Thane of Cawdor and eventually king. Macbeth wants to become king, so he kills King Duncan. Others become suspicious of Macbeth and believe he is not fit to be king. However, the witches yet again give Macbeth prophecies. He is told to beware Macduff, not fear any of a woman born, and not to worry until Birnam Wood comes to his doors. Macbeth becomes overconfident and believes he is invincible. This ends tragically for him because Macduff was born of a cesarean section. Macbeth is slain, and Malcolm rightfully claims the throne.

Characterization
Macbeth begins the book as a war hero. Macbeth was well respected by Duncan and others. As Macbeth was told his fate, he becomes greedy and wants more and more power. This turns Macbeth into a murderer and a tyrant. This change ended in the death of Macbeth, rather than a humble life.

Recommendation
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy complex literature, because Macbeth is a complicated work to decipher. This story is great for both boys and girls, because Shakespeare's works hold interest for both. Macbeth also is great for high school kids and adults, because it is great for expanding the horizons of knowledge.

[rosy · Rating 4 out of 5]

supposedly we finished this in class today (i was out), so i'll probably finish it later when i attempt to catch up on all the work i missed. but until then, it's finished bc otherwise i will forget to mark it as complete.

loved playing macbeth for some acts while my friend was lady macbeth. at some point i was also the drunk guy and she was the not-drunk guy who i thought was a door, and i think that's very reflective of our friendship.

3.5/5, just for the drunkenness, the insanity, and the "jacked"-ness of witches (i think it was the witches)