An Adaption Gone Tragically Wrong
From ancient times, tragedy has been a key element in successful plays. However, many movie adaptations of these plays have so many added changes and elements that take away from this tragedy that the viewer should feel. This same effect is in the movie adaptation of Shakespeare 's play Macbeth. The director however is unsuccessful in making the viewer sympathize for Macbeth like a true tragedy should. The play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, makes the audience sympathize more for Macbeth than Rupert Goold 's version of it because of the character development, themes, and the plot. Firstly, the original play portrays the witches in the correct manner as supernatural beings compared to the movies adaptation …show more content…
To begin, casting such an old actor for Macbeth makes the viewer visually think why he wants the kingship at such an old age about to die. Throughout the entire movie the actor 's age takes away the theme of ambition, but in particular the scene where Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that they are going to kill Banquo as they fear him so much. This scene happening in red lighting and in a dressing room, where the actor of Macbeth looks particularly old, is Macbeth in a useless ambition for more. At such an age, it is difficult for the viewer to feel bad for the actor when he completely disintegrates near the end because he was not going to live much longer anyway. On the contrary, during these striving thoughts that come to Macbeth, if it were a younger actor it would make sense for the character to chase after the kingship as would live a longer life. To demonstrate, in the scene where Macbeth first hears the witches ' prophecies, a younger actor would give to the theme of ambition. " My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,/ Shakes so my single state of man that function/ Is smother 'd in surmise, and nothing is/ But what is not.(I.iii. 149-152)." In this scene, a young Macbeth can be sympathized for because the reader knows that his ambition is logical due to the young age. Given the facts that an old actor was casted …show more content…
A tragedy is best done when the character starts good and falls into darkness by his surroundings, however the movie does not give out this effect through the background music it chooses at certain plot points. For example, when praises of Macbeth are said in the beginning when returning from the battlefield, the solider can barely be heard because of the rumbling and battle outside. In addition, the music played in the background is not at all positive which it should have been shown to showcase the initial goodness in Macbeth. Also, when Duncan announces Macbeth the new thane, it happens in a confiscated tunnel and the music clearly indicates it as a mistake that Duncan is making. The effect that the initial scenes have on Macbeth portrays Macbeth as a bad character that has been dangerously given the title of Cawdor. This takes away from the tragedy that should be felt of a character going from good to bad. Whereas, in the play the same scene is taken in an outdoor camp given a more positive notion to Macbeth 's goodness. For example when the solider says " Doubtful it stood;/ As two spent swimmers, that do cling together/ And choke their art... For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name/ Disdaining fortune, with his brandish 'd steel,/ Which smoked with bloody execution (I.ii. 9-11.17-20)." In the play the soldiers ' words
From ancient times, tragedy has been a key element in successful plays. However, many movie adaptations of these plays have so many added changes and elements that take away from this tragedy that the viewer should feel. This same effect is in the movie adaptation of Shakespeare 's play Macbeth. The director however is unsuccessful in making the viewer sympathize for Macbeth like a true tragedy should. The play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, makes the audience sympathize more for Macbeth than Rupert Goold 's version of it because of the character development, themes, and the plot. Firstly, the original play portrays the witches in the correct manner as supernatural beings compared to the movies adaptation …show more content…
To begin, casting such an old actor for Macbeth makes the viewer visually think why he wants the kingship at such an old age about to die. Throughout the entire movie the actor 's age takes away the theme of ambition, but in particular the scene where Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that they are going to kill Banquo as they fear him so much. This scene happening in red lighting and in a dressing room, where the actor of Macbeth looks particularly old, is Macbeth in a useless ambition for more. At such an age, it is difficult for the viewer to feel bad for the actor when he completely disintegrates near the end because he was not going to live much longer anyway. On the contrary, during these striving thoughts that come to Macbeth, if it were a younger actor it would make sense for the character to chase after the kingship as would live a longer life. To demonstrate, in the scene where Macbeth first hears the witches ' prophecies, a younger actor would give to the theme of ambition. " My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,/ Shakes so my single state of man that function/ Is smother 'd in surmise, and nothing is/ But what is not.(I.iii. 149-152)." In this scene, a young Macbeth can be sympathized for because the reader knows that his ambition is logical due to the young age. Given the facts that an old actor was casted …show more content…
A tragedy is best done when the character starts good and falls into darkness by his surroundings, however the movie does not give out this effect through the background music it chooses at certain plot points. For example, when praises of Macbeth are said in the beginning when returning from the battlefield, the solider can barely be heard because of the rumbling and battle outside. In addition, the music played in the background is not at all positive which it should have been shown to showcase the initial goodness in Macbeth. Also, when Duncan announces Macbeth the new thane, it happens in a confiscated tunnel and the music clearly indicates it as a mistake that Duncan is making. The effect that the initial scenes have on Macbeth portrays Macbeth as a bad character that has been dangerously given the title of Cawdor. This takes away from the tragedy that should be felt of a character going from good to bad. Whereas, in the play the same scene is taken in an outdoor camp given a more positive notion to Macbeth 's goodness. For example when the solider says " Doubtful it stood;/ As two spent swimmers, that do cling together/ And choke their art... For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name/ Disdaining fortune, with his brandish 'd steel,/ Which smoked with bloody execution (I.ii. 9-11.17-20)." In the play the soldiers ' words