Richard III
William Shakespeare · Early Modern · Drama / poetry
Early Modern · Tragedy
Macbeth
by William Shakespeare. A warrior murders his king to seize the crown and descends into paranoia, brutality, and spiritual emptiness.
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- Date
- c. 1606
- Origin
- Scotland / England
- Era
- Early Modern
- Genre
- Tragedy
- Canon tier
- Essential core
- Difficulty
- Accessible
- Length
- Short
- Collection
- The Western Canon
Subjects and themes
Why it matters
A warrior murders his king to seize the crown and descends into paranoia, brutality, and spiritual emptiness.
This work is included on the basis of great books / bloom. Its cataloged influence level is 5 out of 5.
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Reading paths featuring Macbeth
Continue through a deliberately ordered journey that places this work in conversation with others.
Essential 100
A century of works that gives the broadest useful first view of the Western canon. 100 books · Advanced.