Macbeth Short Prose Version!
Macbeth, a brilliant Scottish general, and his friend Banquo, had just returned from a battle against the Norwegians. Crossing a wild stretch of land in a thunderstorm, they met three witches, who foretold the future. They said: Macbeth would become Thane of Cawdor; that he would become king; and that Banquo`s sons would become kings. Just as they disappeared, a messenger arrived from the king of Scotland, Duncan, to say that the Thane of Cawdor would be executed as a traitor, and his title would be given to Macbeth. As they met up with the king, Macbeth began to wonder whether the other prophecies would come true, and if he would have to act to make them come true.
He invited the king to his castle; and sent a letter to his wife, telling her about the witches. When she read the letter, she was determined to make the prophecy come true, especially when she heard the king was coming to her castle. She summoned evil spirits to make her strong and cruel.
When Macbeth arrived, she plotted with him to kill the king, even though he was reluctant. That night, she drugged Duncan`s bodyguards, and Macbeth murdered the king in his sleep. Macduff, one of Duncan`s faithful thanes, found the body; Macbeth killed the bodyguards, in case they gave him away; and Duncan`s two sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, fled to England and Ireland, to escape danger to themselves.
Macbeth was pronounced king, and arranged a banquet to celebrate. He was discovering that success only brought more unhappiness, though. He was tormented by nightmares, and was worried that Macduff suspected him, and had not come to hid coronation or the banquet. Also, he worried that Banquo would suspect him; and that the prophecy about his children being kings would come true. So he hired two murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance, as they were out riding. The murderers killed Banquo, but Fleance escaped. As the banquet was being held, Macbeth heard the news from the murderers, and was seized by a fit, in which he saw the ghost of Banquo, covered in blood, sitting in his own seat.
In despair, he decided he would visit the witches again, to see if they could give him more advice. They showed him three apparitions, who gave three pieces of advice: to beware Macduff; to be "lion-mettled", as he would never be beaten until Birnam Wood (outside his castle), should come up the hill towards the castle; and to be "bloody, bold and resolute", as "none of woman born shall harm Macbeth". Finally, he asked if Banquo`s children would ever be kings – and they showed him a long line of Banquo`s children with crowns and sceptres.
He decided his first job was to get rid of Macduff, and sent murderers to his castle. They found only his wife and children, and killed them, and the servants. The news was taken to Macduff, who was in England, planning to overthrow Macbeth with Malcolm, Duncan`s son, and with help from the English king. Macduff swore revenge on Macbeth.
As the English army began to move towards Macbeth`s castle, his followers began to desert him. His wife, who had been so strong before, was now losing her sanity, and was heard sleepwalking by her servant and a doctor. In her sleep, she talked about the crimes that she and her husband had committed.
As Macbeth was preparing to fight the ancient enemy he heard the terrible piece of news. The wood at the foot of the hill was moving towards the castle. In fact, the English soldiers were using branches as camouflage. Macbeth began to feel that the witches had tricked him. As if to make his despair complete, he was told that his wife was dead. Soon, the English army broke into the castle. At best fought desperately, and eventually came face-to-face with Macduff. He told Macduff that no one born of woman could harm him. Macduff replied that he was ripped from his mother's womb. They fought on, and Macbeth was killed. Malcolm was crowned the new King of Scotland.
http://www.open.ac.uk/crete/movingwords/pages/drama/short_prose.html
(как всегда). НО, Слава Богу, согласилась пойти к врачу в понедельник... сейчас принимает таблетки, вроде получше, чем вчера... Не встает третий день, слышит плохо... (преувеличивает, ибо на самом деле, слышит не хуже, чем тетя Таня..). Но, честное слово, восхищаюсь ею.... всегда.
