Macbeth Act 1 Scene Analysis

Macbeth Media Comparison

Macbeth is a cold-hearted and complex story to re-enact due to the metaphorical details present within the play. When comparing Roman Polanski’s Macbeth (1971) and Rupert Goold’s Macbeth (2010), it is evident that both directors have envisioned distinctive ways to interpret the story of Macbeth. One of the various scenes which Polanski and Goold have portrayed quite differently is Act I, scene I. This scene is the opening of the play and must set the tone and mood in order to get the audience pondering about what the storyline may be. The atmosphere and interpretation of characters in both versions are thoroughly different, however, the Roman Polanski version is more effective than Rupert Goold’s version since he duplicated the scene in a way which is easy to relate to. Polanski’s version allows the audience to make connections from both the original text and film. 786110

In Polanski’s version of Macbeth in Act I scene I, the true characteristics of the three witches are almost identical to the original text. The appearances of the witches in this scene are that of aged men. In an upcoming scene,

Banquo states “, "You should be women, / And yet your beards forbid me to interpret / That you are so" (1.3.45-47).” The witches also chant words that are not able to be distinguished due to their raspy voices, portraying their peculiar auras like their characters in the original play. The rituals shown in this version of the play include burying a dagger into dirt and pouring blood over it, as well as the witches spitting on the ground. These strange behaviours represent the eccentric personalities of the three witches appropriately. Polanski’s version of Macbeth mimics the characteristics and appearance of the three witches incredibly, however in Goold’s version, the witches’ personalities are drastically altered in this scene. Due to his modern twist on the play, Goold portrays the witches as young nurses. Although they are still ghoulish, the witches do not appear to be old hags like the way Banquo has described them in Macbeth, making it difficult to make connections. Instead of the scene beginning in a deserted environment like Polanski’s version, the witches are placed in a disturbing hospital setting, operating on a man.

The audio and sound effects in each version vary for this particular scene. In Polanski’s re-enactment, the scene is very quiet and calm in the beginning. Instead of loud music, sound effects such as whistling, banging, and digging are heard to set the tone. Birds chirping as well as sound of waves start to play in the background. Towards the end of this scene, the witches finally begin to talk, and faint crying and chanting can also be heard. The audience may not be able to recognize the discussion between the three witches until they begin to speak and mention Macbeth at the end. Unlike Polanski’s version of this scene, the audio and effects in Goold’s interpretation are intense and emphatic. Background music is continuously playing throughout the entire scene creating a mysterious feel. Since the setting is a hospital, sound effects in this scene include the beeping of machines and footsteps. Goold did an outstanding job taking risks and creating a frightening mood to represent what goes on inside a hospital. However, the audience can easily get confused about the context since it is completely different than the original text, as well as Polanski’s interpretation of the scene.

The lighting in this scene is very crucial as it must be constant throughout the remainder of the play. In Polonski’s case, the lightning is subtle, like the music. The lighting is very natural and no special effects are added which makes the scene more intriguing. It seems as if the sun is the main source of light in comparison to artificial lighting. This allows the audience to focus on the actions and behaviour of the witches instead of becoming sidetracked by the busy lighting. In Goold’s version, a majority of artificial, luminous lighting is used. The lighting creates shadows, and although it may seem obstructive, they highlight Goold’s interpretation of the witches. The lights are bright and are constantly flickering which forms a bone-chilling atmosphere.

Act I scene I of Macbeth has been displayed in unique ways both by Polanski and Goold through their use of characters, amusing settings, and use of sound and lighting.

The usage of these tools captivates the audience and develops the atmosphere. Although Goold takes a creative approach by switching up the settings and characters, the interpretation does not stay true to the original context of Macbeth and can confuse the audience as to what Shakespeare was conveying about the play. Polanski, while still staying true to the story and re-enacting the exact behaviours of the witches, produced an interpretation that is both interesting and understandable. On the other hand, Goold was not capable of doing this as effectively. Polanski imitated Macbeth’s characters and storyline very successfully, which is specifically vital for the opening

scene.