"What, you egg! [Stabs him.]" - William Shakespeare
Wait, I can explain.
It began when we asked our super-smart-Shakespeare-scholar friend what her favorite quotation was. We promised to illustrate it no matter what. Apparently, she took it as a challenge. Her answer?: "What, you egg!" [Stabs him].
Challenge accepted.
We could tell you how pivotal this line is to the progression of Macbeth. We could go on about how brilliant all of the bird metaphors are leading up to the moment when Macduff's son is stabbed by Macbeth's super-evil henchmen. We could wax poetic about all the deep symbolism and stuff. But sorry Will, nothing - NOTHING - can undo the accidental comedy of calling someone an egg, and then stabbing them.
For this illustration, we represent Macbeth's domination of Scotland with a crowned medieval helmet placed on top of the country's map. The map is colored with the tartan plaid of clan Macduff.
BUT WAIT! The helmet and map double as a fork and fried egg.
For more Shakespeare stage direction, see, "Exit, pursued by a bear" and "Enter pirates." Or view our entire MOST ABSURD collection here.
• 11x14 inch art print with white border
• Premium, fine art paper made in New York
• Elegant eggshell finish
• Ships in a a rigid, flat mailer. No need to unroll!
• Fits into standard 11x14 frames (or a 16x20 frame matted to 11x14)
Obvious State is a creative studio and publisher founded by Nichole and Evan Robertson in 2011.
We make bold, illustrated editions and art drawn from the classics.
Our books and prints are available in our shop and in bookstores and boutiques nationwide.
Our work has been featured at The Folger Shakespeare Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The American Writers Museum, The Emily Dickinson Museum, The Library of Congress, The Getty Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Art and more.
Every piece is illustrated by Evan Robertson — a single artistic vision applied to some of the greatest works ever written.
Provocative visuals paired with punctuated language, full of surprising visual metaphors, subtext, and insider nudges.
Our pocket editions are portable art objects made to collect, share, and inspire moments of quiet reflection in an overstimulated digital world.
We’re drawn to language that has stood the test of time, insights that strike a chord, poetry that stretches the imagination, and philosophy that prompts critical thinking.
