In this post, we are comparing the MIT etext version of Macbeth to the Oxford version. We are analyzing different aspects of the playscript, such as punctuation, language, stage directions, and character information.
The MIT etext of Macbeth has been up since 1993 and has doubtlessly been used by many students over the course of its 18 years online. As a possible result of its age, it differs slightly from the Oxford Personal Playscript.
Firstly, the format of the lines and character names are slightly different with the MIT etext having bolded all names and the Oxford Personal Playscript having double-spaced all lines. Additionally, punctuation used in the etext version deviates from that of the Oxford Personal Playscript (e.g. a double em dash is used as opposed to a single em dash, as often seen in older text) and minor spelling differences are visible throughout. These characteristics, however, have little effect on the understanding of the play. However, slight variations in punctuation can change a reader’s understanding of a phrase - and the extra spaces between the character’s name and their respective lines in the MIT version intrudes upon the flow of the conversation. Most importantly, the Oxford Personal Playscript provides extensive and comprehensive notes that help students better understand the content of the play. Although the MIT etext is also for students’ studies, additional notes are not provided; On the other hand, there are less subtle differences in the texts that may lead to misunderstanding or confusion. For example, the different spelling of names (e.g. Macdonwald vs. Macdonald) makes it harder for a student to gather information on this character through another source ( there is also very little explanation of the setting of each scene). Along with these notes, helpful additions are included in the play itself. The Oxford version (such as the location of a scene; there are no changes to the dialogue lines) that are not included in the etext.
In conclusion, this MIT etext of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is generally reliable and provides students with a decent copy of the text. However, it lacks the abundance of notes and other comprehensive details and additions intended to increase a reader’s understanding of the play, as seen in the Oxford Personal Playscript, and therefore is not a great site for studying the text intensively. Due to this reason, we believe this site is not lasting and should be replaced by a more student-friendly, inclusive version of the play Macbeth.
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