Macbeth

For my money, Shakespeare is the greatest writer who ever lived; anything he has to say will be interesting, profound, and stated as well as anyone can state it. His portrayal of the Macbeths rivals Homer’s portrayal of Achilles in the understanding of trauma. For Macbeth, this is the trauma of military violence. For Lady Macbeth, this is the trauma of the loss of a child.

Ah, Macbeth—as anyone who knows my books will be aware, Shakespeare has had a powerful influence on my writing. While it might not be fair to include a play here, I think this one deserves a place of honor on this list. My favorite Shakespearean work is Hamlet, but over the years, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for the Scottish play. Macbeth, as a character, is fascinating. The descent into madness brought on by pure ambition is jarring, but the character who is most interesting is actually Lady Macbeth. There is no Macbeth without the machinations and manipulation… show more.

You think you know a book, and then an adaptation blows your understanding wide open. This play always rewards re-reading, but especially in tandem with Akira Kurosawa’s film adaptation, Throne of Blood. Set in Medieval Japan, the film looks and seems utterly different from Shakespeare’s writing; astonishingly, Kurosawa’s adaptation uses none of the language from the original play, even in translation! The film is completely self-contained within its Japanese historical and visual setting, and yet the play’s plot, characters, themes, and motifs reappear in the film: prophecy, the mysterious powers of nature, ruthless ambition, fear and revenge, madness, and… show more.