Macbeth Coursework Essay

In this essay I will be looking at Act 2, pics 1 and 2 of Macbeth and producing a detailed analysis of the videos, providing examples of how I would direct them and comparing this with how it may fill been directed in Shakespe ars day. I will alike be dis ensn areeing the context in which the converge was written and wrangleing the impact this had on Shakespe argons writing.I am background signal Macbeth in the clip period of which it was originally set in, the 11th century. To assert historical accuracy, the actors will withal be dressed in k ignominiousnessly clothing and so their outfits wont be that grand unless practical and warm, broaches and smocks. The scenery that I will book will be of a built up castle with a staircase and an hurrying level and as well as a curtain to fall in front with just an empty field for front-of-tabs work when they are non near a castle. The format will there for put one across to be set in open-end staging.I have kept with the original s tote uple horse for many reasons champion is that people were to a greater extent suspicious at that time and were a lot more(prenominal) than likely to believe that there are witches that make psychic predictions, in addition less foolish that Macbeth believes them if it was set in time when people were less sceptical toward the supernatural. If it was set in newfangled day Macbeth would be seen as foolish to believe them and put his look at risk for things that they have verbalize are truths.A nonher dishonor with setting it in modern day is that if somebody, especially the King, was slaughtered pastce the body would have to undergo a full forensic search. It would attend implausible that if a monarchy was killed for the blame to go to onto his children purely because they fled, if it was set in a time where they could just check the DNA on the weapons that you receipt are left there. I am too setting it consequently to make the story looking at more rea l. As that is when the real Macbeth walked and talked, scour so falsified the story is. So it counted best to set it in the time it was meant to have keep backn place.When Banquo and Fleance enter at the start of the Act, Fleance is holding a great mullein to designate it is puritanic. This fits with their conversation near the night, because if they were just move slightly reflection it was dark but without try outing any signs of not beingnessness subject to see, then it would just wait unrealistic.Before Macbeth leaves to kill Duncan he should take the necklace instaling symbol that he is Thane of Cawdor moody and confront that he is no longer that. He should also wear a red fit out to symbolise the tune, as if it is surrounding him, it should be tied up around his neck and when he is aromaing the impact of what he did it should be as if it is so tight it is chocking him, the blood, or his deed, are chocking him.The scene is set in Dunsdane castle at night, M acbeths castle. We know that it is g wholeness midnight from Banquo and Fleances conversation. This would go the audience when Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, in Jacobean England, people were superstitious and witching bit was gloss over believed and feared. Also night was the time when bad things happen, it was associated with evil, witchcraft and isolated acts.Also it was common believed at the time that the good and righteous were in far before it got dark as the day is for the good and the night for the evil, the time where dark deeds took place. The steps of the castle behind show that it is set in the courtyard of Macbeths castle. They are walking crosswise stage but sooner tardily as to fit in the text as it makes sense for them to be runing somewhere, as it would search inappropriate for them to just be standing out in the dark and the cold. Historically Banquo and Macbeth were best friends and both to lay downher killed the King. But Shakespeare, who knew that King crow d 1, the current king, was a descendant of Banquo and thought it best not to show him as being evil. It would displease the King to show his ancestor as treasonous, so he decided to make him out as bare and good and for him to try and discourage Macbeth from killing Duncan. By having Banquo out afterwards dark when the bad and evil were supposedly out may have been Shakespeares way of communicating this to the audience in a discrete manner, one that the King could not fret around.The things that I would add to the start of the scene are that the lighting should be dull and dimly lit to show that it is dark with a few small lights at the top as they are referenced. This just adds to the feel of the night. Also the sound effects of crickets, heedless of whether there would be any again reference to the night it would add to the suspense.In the scene between Banquo and Fleance, Banquo has greater authority over Fleance as he refers to him as Sir.I taket, tis later, sirSo therefore when onstage Banquo involve to show that he is of higher(prenominal) status and so needs to look slew at him. Fleance needs to be played instead introvertedly and be more hunched and talk softer and at a higher pitch than Banquo, as that will show his age.When Macbeth (and his servant) enters he should scrape up from the foeman side of the stage from where Banquo and Fleance are. So Macbeth enters from the side where stairs are nigh and all four of them head toward the stairs when they spot each other. His servant is standing downstage to him when they are talking as it shows the lesser magnificence of him in both status and the play.When Banquo and Macbeth are talking they start to discuss the three witches.I had a dream about the three spiritual sister. To youthey have shown some truth.This shows that Banquo may be out after dark as he was having bad dreams. Macbeth should await taken aback at this statement as if he was at that time, mobiliseing about them, except de nies it.I think not of them.Banquo doesnt believe him and stays suspicious of him, seeming unsure what to say and the atmosphere is instead uncomfortable as Macbeth is suspicious that Banquo suspects what he is planning on doing.They are friends as hale so they have to speak pleasantly and they also would not discuss possible murder plots in frount of Banquos son. Banquo must seem as if he is sizing Macbeth up, to see whether he would actually do that. So he has to be looking at him intently.In Macbeths monologue after he sends his servant away, he pauses and then in suppress starts to pace, as if trying to think about what to do as he is torn. You hear a door open in the distance and he jumps, showing that he is on-edge and anxious. He also appears to be muttering to himself, which again shows that he is running through his thoughts on the matter.In centre stage a manikin that is dressed in black produces a prickle from their costume. Macbeth sees this and walks over curiousl y, as he cannot see the strain. When he tries to grab it, the figure moves it just out of his way. This suggests that there is supernatural intervention. When the paster goes towards Duncans manner the figure dressed in black is beckoning to him and Macbeth seems transfixed on the stumper by his speech as also as he never takes his eyes off it. Just before blood appears on the dagger in the script, the figure seems to stab itself and the blood appears just on the blade. This is say Macbeth to what he must do. The black figure then produces a bakshish above their head and places it on genuinely slowly during his talk of murder and ghost and rape. When the bell rings though the crown is taken off and again is invisible.Macbeths voice at first when talking about the dagger, should seem entranced with it, as if it is drawing him in. He loses his sense of guiltiness and reaches out for it as if he was a cat just bat at the object. He should also sound shocked and confused that h e cant touch it, so it seems as though the witches are definitely putting a spell on him.The cable system genius seems dead should be said very slowly and definite, after that strain it should brook gradually and with more emphasis on the words. Also he should pause after Moves like a ghost. It shows his worry and nerve, also the use of the word ghost connects it with death. In the last bit the figure produces a crown and Macbeth is determined to get it. By this time he has developed more dignity, and so he does not try and aimlessly bat around. He also appears to grow taller and in doing so makes him seem more worthy of Kingliness. When he says the last section of his soliloquy, the first line should be said whilst walking halfway up the stairs.He stop and looks around whilst truism Hear it not, Duncan. He then walks to the top of the stairs whilst apothegm for it is knell. He looks over to the audience to say to summon thee to Heaven, but the looks over to where he is exiti ng to say or to hell This is said manically with a gruffer feeling and with eyes open wider and the dagger held above his head as he runs off set. This section conveys the atmosphere of the night, it describes the night as being dark and dangerous. Which is conveyed by the use of personification, Macbeth compares the night to the evil deed such as murder, witchcraft and rape. It also again forewarns the terrible deeds that are soon to take place.At the beginning of Act 2 Scene 2 there should be sounds of wind in the background to show something bad is coming, this is a use of pathetic fallacy. This will make viewers think as to whether the deed has taken place yet. The audience should feel in suspense and want to know what has gone on. The lights should again be duller as it is still night, and the darkness on stage can also reflect the grey areas of the play that have not been revealed yet. maam Macbeth, when talking, should come across as bolder and more confident than what you would think from a adult female of her time. She should talk extrovertly and seem to get a sense of pleasure from what is happening, so she should look quite smug, she seems to have no remorse. You can tell that this is her outside shell as as soon as she hears the owls hoot, she panics and jumps but manages to regain her composition quickly.As when she says, harken Peace This shows her panicking when she says Hark but then she realises that is nothing as so redeems herself by saying peace. She should enter from upstairs but the other side to Macbeth and should seem quite elated and with a smug sense of accomplishment as she meanders down the stairs and into the courtyard. She also actually freezes when she hears the owl. She is seen as dominating and so being strong relates to her being forceful before. The fact that she seems so jumpy is a contradiction to her otherwise confident manner, this shows that maybe deep down she isnt so confident as is let on. That she only shows thi s exterior as to cover up the fact that she isnt as strong as she wishes to be.When she says if he had not resembled my father as he slept it should be said looking away from Macbeth. This shows her reluctance to show off her weakness and it shows that she did not truly want to admit that to him, as if she though that it would make her seem weaker. It should also be said very monosyllabic, as to mask her feelings. This shows she does feel and does have emotions, but she chooses never to let anything but her rock firm exterior to be shown. Also that she is not as tough as she wants people to believe.When Macbeth returns with the daggers he should be in shock, to show what he did still hasnt really sunk in and he doesnt really believe what he did. He should talk in with a soft, antonymous tone as if he is not really concentrating on what he is doing. He should also not focus on anything as if he is far away, he should look through objects, not at them. When he says, Theres one did laugh ins sleep, and one cried Murder it is more to himself and when he is saying the speech around this he should never look at Lady Macbeth.He should seem more transfixed at the daggers. Lady Macbeth should talk with an to the highest degree hungry tone as she craves the power that it gives her. When she notices the daggers in his hands she has to seem quite discredit of his stupidity. When she says, Why did you bring these from the place? She has to say it as if she cannot possibly control why he did that, also very patronising. When Macbeth enters he is upstairs and Lady Macbeth is at the bottom and when they talk at the beginning of the scene, he is walking as they talk. He should seem shaky and closed. Lady Macbeth goes over to him, to go and comfort him but he pulls away and is transfixed with his hands and the blood on them, Lady Macbeth should also seem a bit put out by his rejection.Macbeth is filled with guilt so much he is controlled by it, so he cannot say Amen. Thi s is important as in Jacobean time, they were still very religious times, so by flunk to be able to say the ending of a prayer shows how hellish this deed was. It shows a connection with the devil and being apart from God. He also talks about sleep, he describes it as being tremendous and relief, a blessing. When he was saying, Sleep no more, he is saying that this is a terrible punishment, sleep was taken away from him because he took a life.Lady Macbeth should seem forceful and annoyed still that he had rejected her earlier. She is very bossy and seems to be able to control and manipulate Macbeth, sluice though he is a strong warrior. Lady Macbeth is practical and keeps her head in their predicament, but this is quite misleading as later in the play she goes mad from the guilt of what she has done. So you know then that she doesnt find it as simple as she lets on.We see a crease in their characters by how they perceive the blood on their hands from the daggers. Macbeth uses a hyperbole by saying that all Neptunes water could not wash the blood away, so he is exaggerating and is talking more about the emotional scarring that that would leave him with. That nothing could possibly wash away what he did, no amount of water could make him forget. But Lady Macbeth scarcely talks about how slow it is then as she describes only how easy it is to physically wash it off. She does not think of the guilt, only on how to get out of the blame.The dramatic effect of the knocking is that people are open-eyed and that they can be found at any point. Somebody could arrive, also shown by the knocking as you knock to enter when you arrive. Macbeth should not seem jumpy as he is not really certified of whats going on around him as he still hasnt consciously awoken. Lady Macbeth should seem more aware of it as she is more aware of what they have done.During the whole of Lady Macbeths soliloquy, Macbeth should very slowly being playing with the water in the bucket, also t o be gaze very intently at it, and sounds of water movement. When Macbeth says to know my deed, twere best not know myself. He says it directly at Lady Macbeth, looking consecutive into her eyes as if willing her to understand him. When the knocking is finally getting to Macbeth he should suddenly outburst and talk very loud, almost shouting, force out Duncan with thy knocking This shows that the knocking and what he did are starting to really get to him, he is more aware of the knocks when he become more aware of what he did. The voice is also a contrast to his distant and excite voice straight after he killed Duncan. Yet when he says, I wish thou couldst. To be said softer and more inwardly, said more to himself, he should also bow his head as it shows his remorse for what he has done and his wish to reverse it.My play differs in many slipway from what it would have been showed in Shakespeares day, as there is more technology and equipment in theatres now than they did then. In Shakespeares time there wasnt backdrops, bound props and not very much in the way of scenery. Whereas, in my play there is an entire wall of a castle with a staircase and an upstairs for the actors to go in certain parts of the play, also there is a background of a forest for later on in the play. Underneath the stage is an area that opens up for the witches to go in when needed. These things they wouldnt have been able to do in Shakespeares day, I am also using more advanced lighting then they would have then as well. Also the costumes that I use are from medieval time, whereas they were in Elizabethan dress when they were first performed.The audience would be different now as in Shakespeares day, the arena was a bit of a commotion, people talked, traded, drank. But nowadays, Shakespeares plays are seen almost as religious and the whole theatre is in silence. You are scolded if you even dare to cough. Also as people dont have the same belief in witches and the supernatural as they did then, the story seems quite far-fetched, but it is still regarded as one of the greatest plays even written. Which is contradictory to the belief at the time.I think that my ideas are effective and also they are original, for example, my idea for Macbeths soliloquy, which, to my knowledge, hasnt been used before. I think that it will be effective as I feel I have captured the characters in the way that they were written by Shakespeare and it stays very close to the original setting and so stays traditional.