In 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended the English throne, becoming James I of England. London was alive with an interest in all things Scottish, and Shakespeare turned to Scottish history for motivating material. He found a scene of violence and stories of conspirators advised by witches and wizards, echoing James’s belief in a connection between treason and witchcraft.

Prompted by the prophecies of three mysterious witches and driven by his ambitious wife, the Scottish nobleman Macbeth murders Duncan, King of Scotland, so he can succeed to the throne. This foul deed soon entangles the conscience-stricken nobleman in a web of treachery, deceit, and more murders, which ultimately leads to failure. Set among the gloomy castles and lonely hills of medieval Scotland, Macbeth depicts a striking dramatic portrait of a man of honor and integrity destroyed by a fatal character flaw and the tortures of a guilty conscious.