Macbeth Informal Response
I prefer Roman Polanski's version of the Macbeth opening scene because it is the most ideal out of the three. First and foremost, I believe Polanski’s version of Macbeth opening scene is the most ideal because it depicts the dialogue with the most detail. Particularly, in the original scene the dialogue is the most important part. Specifically, there are no other events happening that are diverting the audience from the main purpose of the opening scene. Polanski’s version of the scene portrays this. Whereas, in Geoffrey Wright’s version, the teen witches destroying the graveyard and screaming is more thoroughly portrayed than the dialogue. Also, the teens causing a ruckus is a whole new idea and simply has nothing to do with the dialogue. In other words, this helps me form my opinion because the original text revolves around the dialogue, Wright’s version doesn’t. Ultimately, Making Polanski’s more fitting.
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Particularly, other than the surrounding war and the witches agreeing to meet Macbeth, no immediate conflict is shown. In general, Polanski’s version perfectly portrays this. Nevertheless, in Geoffrey Wright’s version of the original text there is an immediate conflict, contrasting the original scene. Specifically, Wright’s version displays how young reckless witches are causing ruckus and being hooligans, which is completely contradictory to the original scene. Additionally, there is an immediate conflict as well in Rupert Goold’s version of the Macbeth opening scene. In his version there is a person dying on a stretcher. Although this conflict served the purpose of creating suspense, it contrasts with the original scene. This helps me form my opinion because in the original opening scene there is no clear conflict, and the only version that portrays this is Polanski’s, making his the most
However an observation made from the play version is that many of the murders are described later on and not directly at the times they were committed. This can be scene in the opening scene where the captain describes the blood of the battlefield to Macbeth, “Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel, Which smoked with bloody execution, Like valor's minion carved out his passage Till he faced the slave; Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him”. This is similarly demonstrated at the start of the retold version of Macbeth in the scene where we see him brutally cut apart the head of a pig. We see this motif of violence appear throughout the story in the murders of Duncan, Banquo, Lady Macduff and Macduff’s son. A common factor between both mediums that Brozel kept is the presentation of these murders. While there process may have been altered, ultimately you did not see the murders and instead saw and heard the reactions of other characters. This is relevant to a modern audience as it is about the emotional response of the audience and characters. As we see in the following scene after Banquo’s murder, the dialogue of the play and television show are similar, “You are the best of the cutthroats. But whoever did the same to Fleance must also be good. If you cut both their throats, then you are the absolute best.” as opposed to “Did you get him?... His boy was with him?”, this is because it is relevant in both mediums as a style of adding some suspense for the audience. Some scenes are exaggerated in the remade version such as when Macbeth is cut with a knife, this is to prolong the intensity and extend the action as it fits better for a film-type
Despite neither of the productions following the original physical characteristics of the witches, both modernistic interpretations allow for a new angle on the play. The young, attractive witches in both productions embody the central theme of Macbeth “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” Their deceivingly alluring looks only hide the real evil they are capable of. In the live production, the seductive, manipulative young witches draw Macbeth into their evil schemes, leaving him and his ambition to be his own downfall. Their ethereal, misty look makes them clearly supernatural creatures. Furthermore in the live play, the witches only appear when necessary – when Shakespeare intended for them to. By keeping a minimalistic, classic approach, the live play places only a portion of the responsibility on the witches, instead focusing on Macbeth.
Macbeth by William Shakespeare has three characters that appear to be the best developed. The first is Macbeth, the main character of the story. The second most developed character is Lady Macbeth, Macbeth’s wife. The third most well developed is Banquo, Macbeth’s friend. Banquo and Lady Macbeth play very important roles in Macbeth’s life.
The songs that I will be dedicating in this play are for the character Macbeth. He is the most unique entity who is constantly changing his personality and developing more evil traits. These songs will represent all of the Macbeth’s major characteristics and the events that led to demonstrating and revealing what kind of person he is. Every crime he committed had a big consequence on his conscience. The lyrics or the mood of the song will, in some way, describe Macbeth and his behavior in this play.
The Elizabethan Concept of the King Intro: Our actions define who we are. Who we are, defines our actions. This concept has been common to man throughout history, and the Elizabethans are no exception. They applied this statement to their kings in an attempt to classify them as good or bad, strong or weak. In the play Macbeth, we notice many references to the characteristics of a good king.
It introduces Fleance, Banquo’s son. Banquo and Fleance are walking around the castle because Banquo could not fall asleep. While they were walking around, they run into Macbeth and his servant. Banquo asks why Macbeth was awake because everyone in the castle was either relaxed or asleep. He also mentions how much the king likes Macbeth, and even gives him a very nice diamond for Lady Macbeth for being such a great hostess.At this point, Macbeth is pondering whether or not to really kill King Duncan because as Macbeth is thinking, the king has literally done nothing wrong to him. He pushes those thoughts away and tells the servant to ring for lady, which is code saying that he’s ready whenever she was. As the servant goes away, Macbeth starts to get a vision. He sees a dagger floating in the middle of the room and he tries to grab it, failing to do so. As he tries to grab the dagger, it slowly gets covered in blood, and the dagger started to point towards the direction of where King Duncan was staying for the night. This was to foreshadow what Macbeth was about to do, which was kill the king. This was also to show that only bad things happen at night. Scene II starts with Lady Macbeth portrayed as a psycho again. She says that she’s given the servants the drugged alcohol and that she had some herself, making herself feel nice. The servants were snoring, and they were so drugged that you could not tell if they were even alive or not. Macbeth returns and Lady Macbeth says that everything is set up. Macbeth goes and kills the king, and returns with bloody daggers. By this point, Macbeth has done a villainous thing by killing an innocent character, King Duncan. Duncan has done nothing but good to Macbeth, yet he murdered him with no reason except for being power hungry and selfish. Keith Waddington put it in a great way: “Though perhaps something of a truism, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth suffer from the same
Through the chronicles of history there have always been heroes. Men and women that stand up and take charge and are moral leaders of countries. Joan of Arc, Napoleon, Genghis Khan and Churchill are only a few examples of people that are remember eternally for what they have done. There are also other leaders that people would like to forget because they are moral cowards killing their subject and causing evil. Stalin, Fidel Castro, and the Character of Macbeth are all examples of this. Macbeth is a moral coward. During the play Macbeth often shows that he is morale coward. For instance, when he is planning Duncan’s murder. Likewise he also shows cowardice by killing Banquo. Lastly he shows how spineless he is when he orders Macduffs family to be murdered.
The major difference in the two works is presentation and context. This relates directly to the representation of the main characters. By keeping the premise but altering the way the course of events occurs gives the audience a different insight into the development and representation of the characters, particularly Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Both adaptations were very well done, particularly Scotland, PA. It shows that, with a little tweaking, comedy can be found in even the most bloody and tragic of stories.
When looking back on the recent decades or even last week, it is not difficult to find a Macbeth-like figure in mainstream American culture. In this it is meant that these individuals experience a downfall in an attempt to gain power. One such figure was former President Richard Nixon.
Macbeth a play written by William Shakespeare in the 17th century shows the unexpected happens when it is least expected. In the beginning of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is stronger and more ruthless then her husband Macbeth because her only interested in gaining power. She plans and executes a death with little remorse. Macbeth is soft, kind, loyal and initially has a conscience. Over time, Macbeth's character takes a turn for the worse. He goes from the scared man that he first was into an evil man. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth become the people that the reader least expects them to be. In the beginning of the play Lady Macbeth is much more ruthless but throughout the play this changes and Macbeth becomes even more ruthless then Lady Macbeth.
Comparing William Shakespeare's Macbeth Productions For the purpose of this assignment I shall compare and contrast act 1 scene 1 and the scene surrounding the murder of King Duncan in the play 'Macbeth' as presented in the BBC production and Roman Polanski's production. The Roman Polanski's version of Macbeth opens with a shot of a beach, with a calm blue sea lapping against the shiny sand, and a red sunrise. The red sky suggesting blood or evil turns slowly to blue suggesting coldness. This scene is filmed on location.
The introduction of the theme is said within the first lines of this play by the witches “Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair” (1, 11, 1). According to the plot, it makes sense for the witches to say this at the beginning of the play as they are the start of the entire conundrum. Banquo also points out in the play that the witches have beards buy they look like women. The Witches become the thrust of confusion when they awaken Macbeth’s ambition and alter his perspective of good and evil, making good things look bad and bad things look good. Banquo also warns Macbeth of the witches “Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence” (1, 3, 125). However, the witches speak in a contrasting language “Lesser than Macbeth, and Greater” (1, 3, 65) and “Not so happy, yet much happier” (1, 3, 66) which adds to the confusion that exists and tells the reader that nothing is what it seems to be. Near the end of the book, we figure out ...
Polanski’s Version of Macbeth Prior to discussing its validity, Pearlman’s assertion requires some clarification. It is understood to suggest that through the depiction of tenth or eleventh century Scotland, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and Polanski’s cinematic version of it, present particular views of the political world.[1] The issues, which the play and the film raise, are generic, in that they can apply beyond the specific setting. Although Pearlman records Polanski’s own observation that the scene in which Macduff’s castle is invaded draws on his own life experiences,[2] his assertion does not suggest that the play and film represent the comprehensive worldviews of Shakespeare and Polanski respectively. This would require close interpretation within the context of their bodies of work, absent from Polanski’s essay.
wrote the play circa 1603 (for king James) the play is set in the Dark
The Impact of Act 2 scene 2 of Macbeth & nbsp; Act 2 scene 2 is the most violent and intense part of Macbeth, although we do not actually witness the murder of King Duncan. It is interesting that Shakespeare chooses to have Macbeth kill Duncan offstage. We can only guess why he wrote the scene that way, I think that Shakespeare wanted to focus not on the murder but on Macbeth’s reaction to it; the bloody details supplied by the audiences imaginations will be much worse than anything that could be done onstage. It is also the most crucial part of the play; it is the first of many murders. This scene takes place at night; I feel the darkness represents what is unnatural, cruel and evil.