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Comparative analysis essay
Comparative essay grade 12
Cinema then and now
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In image 11, immediately after Duncan’s murder, the dead king’s crown is shown in a sideways position on the floor in the left foreground, while a fire surrounded by darkness takes up a good portion of the rest of the image. Immediately behind and to the left of the crown is the base of Duncan’s bed, which is decorated with crosses and other ornate images. Furthermore, this area as well as the crown in the foreground are covered in light, which creates contrast between it and the darkness and fire in the background. In Polanski’s Macbeth, the contrast between light and dark is commonly used as a way to differentiate between good and bad, and this image is no different. The crown, shown in light and decorated with crosses, represents true goodness
This may be used to represent the chilling agreement to go ahead with the murder of Duncan. In the BBC version, almost all of the lighting is concentrated on Macbeth's face. This may be to help show the language used by Macbeth, and the facial expressions and emotions that come with the speech. It is very open lighting and is mainly shadows even when Lady Macbeth enters.
In Shakespeare's Macbeth, various types of imagery are used throughout the play. Five of these images are nature, paradoxes, manhood, masks, and light vs. darkness. In Act I, Scene i, Line 1, the description of "Thunder and lightning" represents disturbances in nature. The witches are surrounded by a shroud of thunder and lightning, which might personify them as disturbances. In Act II, Scene i, the dark night creates a perfect scene for the baneful murders.
Macbeth: Theme of Night vs Day and Evilness “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (I.i.10). This becomes the key phrase in describing Macbeth's downfall. It defines the night vs. day motif, foreshadowing the evil that will soon come. The night vs. day motif is so important in bringing out the theme of evil in this play because almost all of the elements of Macbeth's downfall are revealed at night. Sleeplessness, murder, and the witches' prophecies all become relevant as the drama unfolds.
wrote the play circa 1603 (for king James) the play is set in the Dark
Use of Night and Darkness in Macbeth Shakespeare is known for his descriptively rich plays. He also ways does an excellent job of describing both the characters as well as the setting. One specific area of the play MacBeth is the use of night and darkness to show evil or happening that are not right. Examples of this are the many appearances of the witches, the murders that occur, and the conflicts that MacBeth faces with his mental health. The following three paragraphs will further discuss these topics.
William Shakespeare's Macbeth is an ominous tale that illustrates the danger in violating the Great Chain of Being, the hierarchy of things in God's ordered universe. The Chain ranked all of creation and human society as well. It ranked kings above nobles and nobles above the poor. When Macbeth murdered King Duncan and assumed the throne, the Chain was violated and chaos resulted. The atmosphere of the play symbolized this resulting turmoil. Specifically, light and darkness were used to exemplify the unnatural chaos and ominous tone of the work. The role of light and the role of darkness relates to the chaos resulting from the violation of the Great Chain of Being.
Just as in the play, Moffat and Brozel toy with human ambition as the leading factor in Duncan’s death. The film is as symbolic as the original, allowing for deep analysis by students studying the film. The ongoing symbol of the film, similar to the play, is blood, as Keely Hawes’ character Ella Macbeth repeats the “little water will clear us of this deed” (II,ii,) quote from Macbeth. Symbols of light and dark are also present in the film, with lighting of the kitchen being greatly darker in the death scene of Joe Macbeth. Characterisation is vastly different in the film when compared to the play.
Shakespeare uses a lot of imagery of night and darkness in Macbeth. This imagery is used to portray an image of a desolate, deranged place, full of tumult and disorder. Darkness and night imagery is also used to create an atmosphere of malevolence and misleading obscurity. Images of night and darkness are often used at times in the play when a death has occurred, or some other tragic event. Shakespeare also uses imagery of night and darkness in scenes with the witches, to make them seem evil and unruly. When someone is doing or thinking of something evil, there is often imagery of night and darkness, which helps to causes it to appear more evil and deranged. The images of night and darkness make the play more entertaining and captivating, which maintains the audience’s attention.
of Macbeth's evil deeds, we still find him likeable. We see him in the same way
Shakespeare's Macbeth presents more than the simple tale of a murder and revenge. Macbeth wants to be king, and Duncan stands in his way. However, Macbeth hesitates. His wife, Lady Macbeth, must urge him on strongly, like a rider whipping a horse. Macbeth does not want to commit the murder because it creates a conflict in his unconscious mind. Specifically, the act of plunging a knife into Duncan's breast is like the sex act, making the murder a homosexual act for Macbeth. For Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, it is a reversal of the normal sexual roles. She has plays the dominant, male role, forcing her husband and Duncan both to take the submissive, female role. She is much stronger than her husband, and she uses her strength to force him into the act of murder.
This theme is further verified by King Duncan's statement "There's no art/ To find the mind's construction in the face..." (Act 1, Scene 4, Lines 11-12) Although Macbeth has the semblance of the amicable and dutiful host, ("fair") he is secretly plotting Duncan's death ("foul"). Furthermore, Lady Macbeth's orchestration of the murder exemplifies the twisted atmosphere in Inverness. Both a woman and a host, she should be the model of grace and femininity. She is described, however, as a "fiendlike queen" (Act 5, Scene 6, Line 69) and exhibits a cold, calculating mentality. In addition, the very porter of Inverness likens the place to the dwelling of the devil Beelzebub. This implies that despite its "pleasant seat," (Act 1, Scene 6, Line 1) Inverness is a sinister and evil place. It is also interesting to note that Macbeth is unable to say a prayer to bless himself after murdering Duncan. It is strange and "foul" that he should think of religion after committing such an unholy act. The very sanction of sleep and repose is also attacked in Macbeth. What is normally considered a refreshing and necessary human activity is "murdered" by Macbeth after he commits his heinous crime. Neither Macbeth nor his wife is able to sleep after killing Duncan. Macbeth's lack of sleep makes him a brutal killer; Lady Macbeth begins to sleepwalk and inadvertently reveals the source of her distress through her nightly babble.
With the exception of the Bible, I contend, no other body of work has been more revisited and retold than William Shakespeare’s. In this essay I will analyze two scenes in Macbeth in terms of how the story is retold through the lens of film. Specifically, I will be examining Roman Polanski’s 1971 adaptation of Macbeth. I contend that the Polanski, while maintaining the spirit of Shakespeare, employs visual devices unavailable to Elizabethan era authors. My points of comparison and contrast will focus on Act III, Scene 4 and Act IV, scene 1.
In “Macbeth” the first scene presents a meeting of three witches during stormy weather. Shakespeare shows disturbed, angry nature - thunder and lighting represent light - daytime and dark – night-time. Light is the metaphor for innocence, purity, truth, and goodness as opposed to dark - evil. It is also a suggestion that the innocent will suffer as well as the guilty. The fog and filthy air signify moral and spiritual obscurity and “the set of sun” means the end of the reign and kingship. The sun appears only twice – when Duncan sees the swallows flying around the castle of death and during the army gathering to purify the earth of its shame (traitors).
There are many symbols used in Macbeth that help us to better understand the play. In the following paragraphs, I will explain them in depth. There are four symbols that I will discuss below, they are light and darkness, they represent the good and bad things that take place throughout the play. The second symbol is blood. The blood represents murder and guilt, like the blood on the dagger and the blood on Lady Macbeth's hand.
In Macbeth there are many examples of light verses dark imagery. In Macbeth light is represents peace. Darkness represents horrible events or death. In the beginning of the play Macbeth started out as a friendly guy that would not kill someone who does not deserve it. He started out in light by killing the traitors to the king. Later on in the play he becomes greedy and kills King Duncan to take his place. Once he kills Duncan he turns into this killing machine. Lady Macbeth started out the play on in the dark side, she wanted to have no feeling for anything that she did, and she just wanted power. Later on she became guilty and started sleep walking; she became insane and committed suicide. In the beginning of the play all of the murders were committed in darkness. This changes once the three murders kill Banquo, he is killed in torch light.