Polanski’s Version of Macbeth

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.

Pearlman argues that Shakespeare’s view of the political world

expressed in Macbeth is characterised by optimism, while criticising

Polanski for his pessimism. This view is largely, though not wholly

sustained, the locus of disagreement being that Shakespeare’s play

does also incorporate elements of pessimism. In the context of this

argument, Shakespeare’s Macbeth suggests that instances of ambition

leading to political disloyalty and the resultant tragedy are limited

to unique individuals, with political harmony ultimately restored

after a period of violence. Polanski’s version of Macbeth is

‘remarkably pessimistic’ in contrast, because it portrays a pervasive

capacity for disloyalty among the political class, driven by ambition

and the weakness of political society and leading to ‘endlessly

recurring conflict’.[...

... middle of paper ...

... context of a critique of the

idealist or metaphysical view of tragedy.

[4] The text of Macbeth used for this discussion, and to which all

line references relate is William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Macbeth,

in Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard and Katherine

Eisman Maus (eds.), The Norton Shakespeare, W.W. Norton and Company,

Inc., New York: 1997.

[5] See Stephen Greenblatt, ‘Macbeth’ in The Norton Shakespeare,

2559-2600.

[6] Stephen Regan, ‘Macbeth’, p. 119.

[7] Stephen Regan, ‘Macbeth’, p. 98.

[8] Stephen Greenblatt,’ Macbeth’, p. 2555.

[9] See E. Pearlman, ‘Macbeth on Film: Politics’, pp.144-5.

[10] Alan Sinfeld, ‘Macbeth: History, Ideology and Intellectuals’ in

A Shakespeare Reader, pp.135-6.

[11] Ibid., p.136.

[12] E. Pearlman, ‘Macbeth on Film: Politics’, p.145.