"Macbeth" by William Shakespeare is a tragedy first performed in 1606. When a Scottish general receives a prophecy from three witches that he will become king, his ambition ignites. Spurred by his wife, Macbeth murders his way to the throne through violent betrayal. But seizing power proves easier than keeping it. Consumed by guilt and paranoia, the new king descends into tyranny and madness, committing further murders to secure his position. This dark exploration of ambition's corrupting force remains Shakespeare's shortest and most psychologically intense tragedy.