Macbeth
Adaptation by P Anderson & J Anderson

The study of Shakespeare's works is a key part of the English Literature syllabus. Unfortunately, Shakespeare's complex and archaic prose is simply too challenging for many younger students and for students with reading difficulties. The Streamlined Shakespeare series offers a solution to this dilemma. The language of the original plays has been intelligently and sympathetically edited and simplified to make it more accessible without losing the beauty, eloquence and humour of the original.

This book contains two simplified presentations of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

The story of Macbeth is first presented in narrative form, following the act and scene structure of the original play. This is very helpful because students often have difficulty in fully understanding a story when presented as a play because of the lack of contextual information. The narrative form allows the student to grasp the essence of the story early on.

The story is then presented in play format, again following the act and scene structure of the original play, but in abbreviated form and using simplified language. This acts as a stepping stone to understanding the original Shakespearian text and, if appropriate, it is possible to read this book and Shakespeare's text side-by-side.

Further Information

For example, here is the well known "is this a dagger..." soliloqy from Macbeth.

The Streamlined Shakespeare narrative version of this scene reads...

As Macbeth stood in the dark, he thought he could see the image of a bloody dagger in the air before him. "Is this a dagger which I see before me? The handle towards my hand? " he cried out. He felt the power of an evil force, tugging at the sheath of his dagger. There seemed to be a force greater than himself that would have it no other way. Macbeth slowly pulled out the dagger. He heard a bell from within.

"I will go and it will be done," said Macbeth resolutely. "The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan. For it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or hell."

The Streamlined Shakespeare simplified play version reads...

MACBETH: Go to my mistress. Tell her to ring the bell when my drink is ready. Then go to bed.

(A servant exits.)

Is this a dagger which I see before me? The handle towards my hand? Or is it my imagination? And now I see you covered with blood. You lead me in the direction I was going. My footsteps ring out the horror of my deed. While I talk on, he still lives.

(A bell rings.)

I go and it will be done. The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan. For it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.

For comparison, you may want to look at Shakespeare's original text (this is not included in the book).