Talk:Macbeth
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Is this full-text reproduction really worthwhile? How about providing a link to Project Gutenberg, as is done for A Modest Proposal? This doesn't seem appropriate for an encyclopedia, especially when there is already a working and well-established project dedicated to this sort of activity. -- MattBrubeck
- Personally, I believe it is worthwhile. I'm in favour of adding selected, relevant primary sources to Wikipedia (such as The Origin of Species), not duplicating the work of Project Gutenberg. Eventually, I would like to see Wikipedia evolve to a point where, if a passage is discussed in an article, one click will bring up the relevant work so that it can be read in context. Of course, if no one else agrees with me, I won't get many sources in anyway. ;-) -- Stephen Gilbert
- I wonder why external links are any worse than putting whole-text into Wikipedia? If the model really IS an encyclopedia, this is the other end of the "Wikipedia is not a dictionary" statement. Is Wikipedia a whole library? --MichaelTinkler
As someone who tried to add some texts, there are some caveats:
- There is a size limit on edited pages. At least one Shakespeare play wouldn't be accepted as a whole.
- Project Gutenberg has good mirrors. Let them take the load for big files, so link to their mirrors page.
I do believe that short texts, like "Modest Proposal" and Casey at the bat are worthwhile additions, though, since they can be digested almost as part of the article. -- GWO
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Benefit
Perhaps the problem with the texts on Project Guttenberg is that they can't be changed. Wikipedia can be a perfect medium for those of us who believe we can write improvements to the works of Darwin and Shakespeare. If Shakespeare wants to put "Macbeth" on Wikipedia he has to accept that it will be improved by some very fine editors. ("MacBird" is already dated.) I can think of lots of improvements to the Bible, and there's a clause in the United States Constitution that could be clarified so that the greedheads can't go on extending copyrights forever. Eclecticology
WHAT!!! Improve on Shakespeare?! If a contributor to an article wants to present a work in context, that is fine -- BUT we should NEVER change what Shakespeare, Darwin, the authors of the Bible said or what is stated in the US Constituition etc. I do believe you were joking. If that is the case, then what you state is hilarious (although you do have a very dry sense of humor). What is needed, is a method to display relevant text, in say maybee a text box, that is not directly editable in edit mode. One would upload a text file perhaps, and link to it in an article. Not the best solution but it would be a neat utility. --maveric149
That's the problem with the pedia... there's no way to prevent someone rewriting Shakespeare to say whatever they want it to!
- To be or not to be... but enjoy Coca-Cola! *smirk* -- Tarquin
I am he Macbeth 02:44, 3 Mar 2004 (UTC)
I'm removing the bit about Macduff's mopther being dead. As far as I can remember it's "from his mother's womb untimely pluck'd" -- she wasn't necessarily dead. -- Tarquin
- The text certainly indicates that he was born by Caesarean, which is hardly a refined practice in this age...
- How about some famous or just generally brilliant quotes ( I can think of a good few)
- I added an essay on evil in Macbeth which I did quite recently (GCSE); is this kind of thing "allowed" without major editing - it's not rubbish!
A Different Perspective
1. The editions of Shakespeare on the web do not match print editions. However, as an actor, I would love to correct some noncontroversial errors. We could even eventually have "View: Folio, Quarto, Combined, and Recomended." Micheal Hart's father used to make modifications to Gutenberg's text as an editor, not as a writer. Micheal Hart's son is less willing to make changes.
2. It's "from his mother's womb untimely ripp'd [not stressed]." and it is a perfectly valid historical note to say that Cesarian operations ended with the mother bleeding to death--although we should not say *ever* that that was part of the play--as plays and the history they intended to portray often differed. I will read your essay Anon. and tell you what I think.
Was there a Macbeth II of Scotland? If not, why do you say Macbeth I?
- There was no Macbeth II.Fire Star 04:58, 7 Mar 2004 (UTC)
- Well, no, they called it Macbeth's Revenge. :) RickK 05:06, 7 Mar 2004 (UTC)
There're some parts of this article which reads like a high school attempt at a literature assignment (See section "Concept of Evil"). Interesting, but seriously not particularly insightful. Surely, for one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, we can come up with better? Mandel 9 May 2004
- I'd certainly agree that that section is not up the standard Wikipedia aspires to. But more to the point - it strikes me as exactly not the kind of material I'd hope to find in an encyclopedia; too waffly, too much opinion, not enough fact. What I think the ideal would be, for Macbeth and other literary works, is a section 'historical survey of Macbeth criticism'. i.e. "Johnson, in his Miscellaneous Observations on the Tragedy of Macbeth (1745) focussed on [...] but Coleridge thought [...] Bradley started a tradition of reading the tragedies as..." and so on. But I don't have the expertise to write such a survey. Harry R 09:57, 10 May 2004 (UTC)
- Agree. I'll like to do so myself, but think the task might well be filled by someone who is more qualified to filling the gaping hole.
- The conclusion of the section is rather inept. "Evil is created and influenced by others; no one man can be Evil."...Huh? Not exactly clarifying. Mandel - 10 May 2004
- PS. Realized, from reading above, that the section is written for GCSE. Not bad, but I still think the last sentence needs ironing out. Mandel
Looks like another GCSE essay has crept in. See "recurrent motifs" section. Mandel 08:20, Dec 25, 2004 (UTC)
Is Macbeth really the shortest?
The article says Macbeth is the shortest play by Shakespeare. The article on the The Comedy of Errors claims the same. Which is true? 129.177.61.124 10:39, 7 Jan 2005 (UTC) Checked this now. The Comedy of Errors is indeed the shortest, and many comedies are shorter than Macbeth, but Macbeth is the shortest tragedy. 129.177.61.124 08:26, 10 Jan 2005 (UTC)
Better English?
This article could have been wirtten in better English, providing a better insight and understanding of Shakespear's story.
- Well then, you'd better start working on it.
Where did they go?
While Malcolm does flee to England, Donalbain heads off to Ireland and not to England with Malcolm as the article suggested.
"MALCOLM What will you do? Let's not consort with them: To show an unfelt sorrow is an office Which the false man does easy. I'll to England.
DONALBAIN To Ireland, I; our separated fortune Shall keep us both the safer: where we are, There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood, The nearer bloody."