Macbeth....?

Question

I recently looked up a question, Favorite Shakespeare Play... And Everyone said Macbeth.... I was wondering why?

Answer 1

Have you ever read Macbeth or seen it performed?
It's full of blood and treachery, mayhem and murder. Lady Macbeth is a role to die for and the three witches are pretty cool too.
For once, good clearly triumphs over evil (unlike Romeo and Juliet...unless you consider dying in each other's arms as a victory!) and the hero is completely unconflicted (unlike that broody Danish Prince Hamlet).
And it has some great dialogue, including one of my all-time favorte speeches.
Macbeth: "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps on this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time; and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

Answer 2

It's certainly one of my favorites, but I don't know that I'd necessarily put it at the top of the list.

For one thing, it's the SHORTEST of the major tragedies (Hamlet, King Lear, and Othello are the others). There aren't a lot of sub-plots or digressions to deal with. Just a lot of straight-ahead action. And there's LOTS of action. Murders, swordfights, etc.

The thrill of watching a good production of "Macbeth" is similar to that of watching a well-made horror film: it's got violence, bloodshed, supernatural creatures, apparitions...something for everybody!

Answer 3

It is well known because it regularly appears on study lists. Also, it has the appeal of violence, psychological insight, a fast pace and the universal appeal of the supernatural.