The Tragedy of Macbeth

by William Shakespeare

"The Tragedy of Macbeth" by William Shakespeare is a tragedy first performed in 1606. A Scottish general receives a prophecy from three witches that he will become king. Consumed by ambition and urged on by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and seizes the throne. Guilt and paranoia drive him to commit more murders, transforming him into a tyrannical ruler. The play explores the violent psychological effects of unchecked political ambition and the descent into madness that follows.