Macbeth, William Shakespeare, 1603 

Another blockbuster for the Bard of Avon.  Not content with being honored as the Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth listens to the three witches and actually believes he is to be the King of Scotland.  The silliest thing was, though, that he tells his wife and the die is cast.  Lady Macbeth is a real villain and pushes old Mac to the edge—killing Duncan and his guards, having Banquo killed, and then killing Macduff’s wife and children.  Very bloody, but the witches’ other predictions also come true—M is safe until Birnum wood comes to Dunsinane and M cannot be killed by a man born of woman.  Macduff, ripped untimely from the womb, does the deed and Malcolm becomes King after Lady M kills herself.  Blood everywhere but a happy ending, sorta.