TWENTIETH CENTURY TEXT-BOOKS EDITED BY A. F. NIGHTINGALE, PH. D., LL. D. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS Will SHAK'SPERE'S TRAGEDY OF MACBETH EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY RICHARD JONES, PH. D. PROFESSOR OF LITERATURE IN VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY Recat. 01-22 41 DEA In this edition of the tragedy of Macbeth there is included the customary linguistic explanatory matter, and, in addition, some consideration of the theme of the tragedy and of the significance of the play as a whole. The desirability of some thought on the theme of the play, on the part of the preparatory-school student even, is suggested by the character of some of the questions set by many colleges and universities in their entrance examinations on the English texts. Indeed, the only question on Macbeth set by Vassar at the last entrance examination was, "Does Macbeth's instigation to crime come from within or from without? On what do you base your opinion?" And among the recommendations of late made by Harvard to secondary-school teachers of English is the following, "Pupils should of course be made to understand what they read as they go along; but attention should be fixed, not on unimportant details of substance or of style, but on the significance and spirit of the whole. In studying a tragedy of Shakspere, for example, far less time should be given to the discussion of details than to the march of events, the play of character, the main lines of the plot, the significance of the whole as a work of genius." The discussion herewith given of Macbeth's instigation to crime and of the significance of the play as a whole is designed to be stimulating and suggestive 241502 |