Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare?s (1564-1616) most famous and important tragedies. It was written before 1606, the year of its first performance, and was somewhat inspired on the historical accounts of the life of Macbeth, King of Scotland. The play weaves a tale of betrayal, murder and treachery while searching for power, as its protagonist kills and lies his way to the throne of his country. Macbeth shares the cultural significance of many of Shakespeare?s works and is an integral part of contemporary theatre and cinema.