In his introduction to the play, Kenneth Muir notes that "The Tragedie of Macbeth was first published in the First Folio of 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death, and seventeen years after the play was first performed" (Macbeth, the Arden edition). Simple arithmetic will tell you that the text has survived almost four centuries. As we move farther and farther away from Shakespeare's time, it's heartening to see that technology has made it easier for new students or readers of Shakespeare to understand and appreciate his works.

If you want to read the play online, here are your options:

• Try this hypertext guide, developed by Emanuel White, webmaster and senior instructor at Pioneer Training. Reading Macbeth has never been so painless. Just click here.
• Macbeth Plugged also has an annotated online version of the play.

If you want a prose re-telling of the play, check out the following:

• Classroom Version: Macbeth Prose Adaptation in Parallel to original
  Presented by Lynch Multimedia, a free access site for educators, students and parents. Shakespeare is made accessible to young readers, but his "mature" themes remain intact. Delightful.
• Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare - Macbeth
  A widely acknowledged version by Charles and Mary Lamb.

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