Macbeth is William Shakespeare’s stark tale of a tormented nobleman driven to pursue a murderous plot by his ambition to usurp the throne of Scotland. The tautly constructed tragedy is a ruthlessly economic drama, marked by a continuous eloquence that is astonishing even for Shakespeare. This new edition of the Scottish play features full-length critical essays suited for in-depth study by high school and college students alike. A bibliography, a chronology of the Bard’s life, and an index complete the volume.