Shakespeare's classic comedy retold for children growing in reading confidence and ability. When Viola is left shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria, she must disguise herself as a boy for protection. But when she becomes a page for Duke Orsino, things start to get a little complicated.
The book explores themes of ambition, power, and guilt through the tragic story of Macbeth, a Scottish general whose encounter with three witches ignites his desire for the throne. As they prophesy that he will become king, dark thoughts of murder consume him, which he struggles to suppress. Encouraged by his ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth, he murders King Duncan in his sleep and ascends to the throne. However, Macbeth's reign is plagued by paranoia and fear of losing power, leading him to further violence, including the murder of his friend Banquo. Haunted by guilt and the specter of Banquo, he seeks out the witches again, who provide misleading assurances of his invincibility. Ultimately, his downfall comes at the hands of Macduff, who was born by cesarean section, fulfilling the witches' prophecy. The play concludes with the tragic fates of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, who succumbs to madness, underscoring the destructive nature of unchecked ambition and moral decay.
These editions of Shakespeare's plays are designed especially for students at Senior Secondary and University level. Each edition includes the General Editor's preface, the introduction, the text of the play and a glossary. The introduction explains the historical, social and philosophical background to the play and the Elizabethan theatre, and certain points are clarified by illustrations taken from contemporary sources. The text of the play has a general note on each scene and detailed notes are set facing the text to which they refer. The glossary at the back gives the location of all the difficult or unusual words in the text together with a brief explanation of their meaning. The treatment of the play is detailed, but throughout the aim has been to ensure that the reader fully understands and appreciates the play itself.