# Best annotated Macbeth

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-annotated-macbeth/817969>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 15, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-annotated-macbeth/817969 "2018-07-15T22:03:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-annotated-macbeth/817969/21 "2018-07-18T04:52:42Z")

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> [@amarinth](#):
>
> they are named Edgar and Edmund. That is not helpful when you are reading.

Ed **G** ar is the **good** brother. Ed **M** und is the **murderous** brother.

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-annotated-macbeth/817969/22 "2018-07-18T05:17:49Z")

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Edmun **D** also likes Turkish **D** elight.

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**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-annotated-macbeth/817969/23 "2018-07-18T06:06:31Z")

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> [@Dangerosa](#):
>
> My take is
> 
> 1. Start with a good summary. It can be casual English, just know the plot points before going in. It can be difficult to keep characters and motivations straight if you get lost in the language. We’ve been going to the annual Shakespeare at the Guthrie for a long time (we being my daughter and I) and they always have a summary in the program - their experience being people get lost when its live.

I’m sure people do get lost when it’s live, but they REALLY get lost when it’s dead - i.e. just ink on a page.

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**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-annotated-macbeth/817969/24 "2018-07-18T08:17:10Z")

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Another suggestion:

Watch Polanski’s _Macbeth_ (1971) first. It will bring the play to life, and make reading the text afterwards easier and more enjoyable.

It’s easily the best film version ever made - brilliant and highly watchable, with all the text taken from Shakespeare, though cut down a bit in parts. (It seems that even child-molesters can make a good movie, sometimes. We have to separate the artist from the art.)

[Start of movie - first 3 min](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZcFnZ2ZMR0)

[Trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysd5gwHfG1w)

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