Film Analysis : Suffering Themes In Macbeth

Not surprisingly, Macbeth has received volumes of critical commentary over the years. Not only is the play an audience favorite, but its complex characterization, deeply woven themes, and characteristic Shakespearean style make it rich ground for scholarly inquiry. Critics such as Harold Bloom have remarked on the importance of Macbeth in the context of Shakespeare 's works. In Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, Bloom writes, ' 'The rough magic in Macbeth is wholly Shakespeare 's; he indulges his own imagination as never before, seeking to find its moral limits (if any). ' ' Bloom also remarks, ' 'Macbeth is an uncanny unity of setting, plot, and characters, fused together beyond comparison with any other play of Shakespeare 's. '

There was a clear distinction between the book, Macbeth and the 2010 version of the movie, Macbeth, but there were also some similarities included, to prove that it was still Macbeth. In contrast with the book, the movie took place closer to the present, beginning with a civil war and men using weapons that corresponded with its time period, which was fair for an interpretation. Conversely, I felt as though it lost some of its charm, because I truly believed that I, along with every single person who had read Macbeth, would have envisioned the setting to take place in an older period of time.

The 2010 film is the most effective version in portraying the scene, namely Macbeth’s emotional state while interacting with the murderer, the depiction of the ghost, and Lady Macbeth’s reactions to Macbeth. In the opening scene of 2010 film, Macbeth’s interaction with the murderer is more intense and filled with emotions. When the murderers tell Macbeth that they have killed Banquo, Macbeth first seems contented and then becomes furious because of Fleance’s escape. He feels threatened by the fact that Fleance will become a king in the future and bring harm to him. In contrast to Macbeth’s strong response, Macbeth from the 2007 version does not reveal much emotion.

The Macbeth’s base of all their actions are their strong desire for power, reflected in all the actions they will take in order to claim power. Since they are so power hungry, they bring about many tragic events causing suffering of not only themselves but those around them as well. Macbeth is driven to a homicidal state of mind causing pain/suffering for others. Lady Macbeth is his accomplice in being the mastermind behind all plans.

Recall the story of Snow White. The girl took a bite out of an apple because it looked delectable. Little did she know that it would knock her out and put her into a deep sleep. Think about the tale of Aladdin. He found this magic lamp which was to bring him an immense fortune, but his greed got the best of him and it ended up consuming him in the end. The Lion King, a young cub was exiled after his father’s death, only to return years later and take back his rightful throne. In Hercules, an evil god was given a prophecy by three fates and forced them to come true which resulted in his own undoing. Macbeth shares a template with a plethora of tales and stories, many of which have gained popularity in the Walt Disney Franchise. Whilst these narratives and the play may have different overall storylines and characters, the vital themes and character framework remain very similar to the core ideas of the 16th-century play.

The Tragedy of Macbeth is definitely a tragedy, but not just specifically for Macbeth, but also for many of the other characters. The play is a tragedy for characters such as; Banquo, Macduff, Duncan, Malcolm, and Donalbain. A tragedy is when a character and or several characters are suffering from a considerable amount of catastrophe, affliction, adversity and pain. This is normally not the characters fault, but while the audience is being entertained from the suffering of these characters, or at least feeling bad for them. Each of the characters mentioned before had experienced some type of suffering, whether it was their own death, or the death of another character could be someone very close to them. For example, the audience feels calamity

There are many reasons why Macbeth deserves no sympathy, as he chose to forsake his own soul for the crown. First of all, Macbeth killed King Duncan after he honoured him with the title, “Thane of Cawdor” for being the hero who crushed the invasion in the beginning in the story. Macbeth reciprocates these kind and grateful feels of King Duncan with betrayal, and stabs him repeatedly for no apparent reason after King Duncan is already dead. Secondly, by killing the king, Macbeth kills part of himself that made him known to all as the brave, loyal, and honourable Macbeth. He also allowed his own greed and malevolent thoughts control him, which makes him call for the death of Banquo, and his family. After being greeted with the news of Banquo’s death at the feast, Macbeth jokes around with Banquo’s death to all the other lords; shortly after the joke, he loses total composure of himself once he sees the ghost of Banquo in the feast.

In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth evil is conveyed in many ways through characters, themes and settings. Many themes are explored in detail contributing hugely to the sense of evil with characters being used along with these themes to create evil within the characters. These themes and characters are shown in different settings at different times consequently affecting the mood and atmosphere of the play.

In the 2010 film adaptation of the tragedy Macbeth, Robert Gould - the director - takes a spin on the Shakespearean play and switches up the setting to add character to the film. While changing the historical setting is bold and risky, it alludes to a bigger theme: history repeating itself. In a sense there is a comparison of power struggles during the 11th century and early 1940s. It is not hard to make these connections within the 180 minutes of the film but some scenes tend to be slow and repetitive of the message being given. Power is one of the biggest sources of conflict in the film, as Macbeth (played by the talented Patrick Stewart) is continuously trying to protect his claim to the throne. Macbeth is clearly compared to Stalin when he goes on a hiatus for power.

In life, there are two types of people: those who do the right thing and those who don’t. In the play Macbeth, by Shakespeare, the main character Macbeth is given a prophecy by three witches that says he will become king; however, there is no descending line of kings of his own blood. With the knowledge of the Witches’ prophecy, Macbeth’s ambition, and manipulation from his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth is quickly dragged into a never-ending, bloody murder rampage to obtain the crown and get rid of those who stand in the way of obtaining it as well. Macbeth constantly battles with his moral dilemmas; however, he easily falls victim to influences that go against his morals. Influences on major characters emphasize how easily one’s decision making can be negatively affected, resulting in one going against his or her morals/integrity.

In the play Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, universal significance is utilized through strong characters, such as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They identify the human condition through the human nature, ethics and morals of an individual. Shakespeare uses the themes Ambition, Deception and Order vs Disorder to display how the human condition changes within strong characters throughout the play of Macbeth creating universal significance. In the story of Macbeth, Shakespeare shows us how easy it is for ambition to turn into greed, corrupting our human nature.

At the very beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is provoked by the letter she receives by Macbeth and starts plotting the murder of Duncan. She also wishes she were a man such that she could commit the murder all by herself saying so in Act 1 Scene 5, “Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty” (Macbeth 1.5.36-52). She appeals to these spirits to remove all aspects of her femininity and seeks to gain power through the prophecy of the witches. Her fear about the ability of her husband to commit the murder is subdued in her designated gender. Lady Macbeth manages her feminine power through her sensuality and pretended weakness through her fainting streak at the notice of Duncan’s death. Manipulation, usually through sexuality is often depicted as the source of women’s power still Lady Macbeth uses this power of hers to commit murder, a masculine demonstration of power. Lady Macbeth in her soliloquy about the planning of Duncan’s death refers to her husband as an individual who plays honestly and does not engage in wrongdoing.

In the beginning of the play Macbeth and Macduff are very similar in many aspects including rank, leadership, belief, and loyalty. But as the play unfolds, Shakespeare reveals these two characters are as different as night from day. In this essay I will compare and contrast the characters of the murderous Macbeth, and the forthright Macduff. I will consider their status within the Scottish society and the depth of their intelligence. I will also evaluate their actions and their relationships with other characters, including their families and I will discuss their degrees of ambition.

Ross retrieving crown scene. This scene, when tied with the previous scene at the castle of Macduff, shows Ross as being a double sided character. When Polanski first suggested that Ross was the “mysterious” third assassin, we are lead to believe that Ross is like a right hand man for Macbeth. In the film, when Ross arrives at the place of Banquo's murder you can see that he is the “odd” murderer. This being that he has the highest rank and most notable title of the three men sent to do the deed of silencing Banquo. After Banquo's death Ross seems like Macbeth's messenger of death (in the movie). Ross is later connected to the deaths of the two murderers, and the entire Macduff clan- both groups being looked badly upon by Macbeth. Near the