Macbeth by William Shakespeare

The play concerns a trusted general who secretly lusts for power. Encouraged by the prophecies of three witches and urged on by his ambitious wife Macbeth commits regicide. Left fearful and superstitious by this desperate act he is driven to a spiralling course of murder and outrage, almost inevitably culminating in his own death. One of Shakespeare’s most popular tragedies, Macbeth is ostensibly based on the Scottish king although the story represented in the play bears no relation to historical fact as the true King Macbeth was well respected by his contemporaries. This book includes the hero Macbeth becoming more and more evil after he gets told his "destiny" by the witches and becomes greedy with power.

The best thing about Macbeth is that it would eventually lead to Kurosawa's adaption: Throne of Blood.

So much better than Bill's version.

“Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire?”

Lady Macbeth was one of my favourite parts of this play. People can question her morality all they want but I personally admired her ambition and bravery in acting out her desires, and staying loyal to her husband. Meanwhile, Macbeth was initially too much of a coward to work towards his desires, killed his loyalty to the king, murdered his friend, went on a crazy killing spree, and then simply shrugged off his wife's death. Lady Macbeth is a freaking badass. I mean just look at this:

Come, you spiritsThat tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,And fill me from the crown to the toe top-fullOf direst cruelty. Make thick my blood.Stop up the access and passage to remorse,That no compunctious visitings of natureShake my fell purpose, nor keep peace betweenThe effect and it!

I love Shakespeare. I love every word that he put on his books. Macbeth is one of my favourites characters besides Hamlet. He represents mankind with all his defects and virtues.