*I wrote this when I was in third year high, so pardon me for some grammatical errors.
I. A. Title: The Tragedy of Macbeth
B. Director: Roman Polanski
C. Screenplay Writers: Roman Polanski and Kenneth Tynan
D. Principal Characters
King Duncan (Nicholas Selby) – The King of Scotland who was murdered by Macbeth.
Macbeth (Jon Finch) – A courageous general of King Duncan and the one who killed King Duncan.
Lady Macbeth (Francesca Annis) – The wife of Macbeth and the one who persuaded Macbeth to kill the King.
Banquo (Martin Shaw) – A general of King Duncan’s army and Macbeth’s closest friend.
Macduff (Terence Bayler) – He suspected Macbeth for the killing of the King. He is the one who killed Macbeth.
Malcolm (Stephen Chase) – Duncan’s eldest son. He fled to England after the death of the King.
Donalbain (Paul Shelley) – Duncan’s youngest son. He fled to Ireland after his Father’s death.
Ross (John Stride) – A messenger of King Duncan.
The Three Witches (Maisie MacFarquhar, Elsie Taylor, Noelle Rimmington) – The ones who prophesized the success and fall of Macbeth.
E. Settings:
Time: 16th Century
Place: Scotland
Situation:
II. PLOT
Three Witches are digging a hole and soon buried a severed hand. They are discussing about their meeting with Macbeth. Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis and Banquo, Macbeth’s closest friend are both generals of King Duncan. After defeating the army of Norway and Ireland led by Macdonwald, the Three Witches appeared to them. They prophesized that Macbeth would be the “Thane of Glamis”, the “Thane of Cawdor” and he shall “be king hereafter”. While they were wondering about the prophecies, Ross arrived with a message from the king. Ross informed Macbeth that is now the Thane of Cawdor. The prophecy came true and Macbeth’s desire for power began.
Macbeth told his wife about the prophecies. King Duncan was staying at Macbeth’s Castle at Inverness and Lady Macbeth planned about the murdering of the King. She persuaded Macbeth to do the murdering. Then Macbeth killed King Duncan. Lady Macbeth put bloody daggers beside King Duncan’s servants to frame them up. In the next morning Macduff arrived and Macbeth leads them to King Duncan’s chamber. Macbeth ordered the servants to be killed. Macduff already suspected Macbeth for the killing. Malcolm fled to England and Donalbain to Ireland. And because the sons of the King were gone, Macbeth claimed the throne because of his relation to the King.
Even he is now the king, Macbeth still worried about the prophecy of the Witches about Banquo. He then ordered Banquo and Fleance, his son, to be killed. Banquo was killed but Fleance escaped. At the banquet, Banquo’s and King Duncan’s ghosts appeared to Macbeth. In terror, Macbeth said things that lessen up his guiltlessness.
Because of the happenings, Macbeth went to the witches. The spirits told him to beware Macduff, but also none of woman born shall harm Macbeth and he will not be vanquished until Great Birnam wood to high shall come against him. In fear of Macduff, he ordered the killing of everyone in Macduff’s castle. Lady Macbeth sleepwalks washing imaginary bloodstains in her hands because of her guilt. Meanwhile in England, Macduff and Malcolm planned an invasion of Scotland. Macduff
lead their army in the woods to Macbeth’s castle. The battle started and Macduff confronted Macbeth. Macbeth told Macduff that he is not fearing him because he cannot be killed by any man born of a woman. But Macduff told him that he was born by Caesarean section. Then a fight started and Macbeth was beheaded by Malcolm. Malcolm became the king and he restored the peace in his kingdom.
III. COMMENTS
Performance of the Characters
Portraying a play written by William Shakespeare is not that easy. You have to consider all the aspects of the play to be able for you to bring up the real essence and beauty of it. For me, all the characters acted well. Jon Finch and Francesca Annis did their role very well, especially Jon. Jon’s role in acting as Macbeth is uneasy but he did it. He acted like a real general envying and aspiring for power. Francesca also did very well. Her acting as Macbeth’s wife was very effective. She effectively played as a loving wife but also a woman that is thirsty for power and luxury. Nicholas Selby as King Duncan was also great. His posture and his way of speaking made me feel and see that he is the king. I also liked Stephen Chase playing the role of Malcolm. Especially when he fought with Macbeth and beheaded him. All the soldiers and servants that fought were also great. Their fight scenes look real. Not like those scenes I have watched that looked like a scripted and a practiced fight.
Relevance of the Settings
Incidents
Language and Tone
The language of the film is English. Honestly, I cannot understand what they are saying. I just keep an eye on the scenes for me to follow the flow of the story. Their accent in speaking is very different from the ones who live in America. Well, even I already know that the way of speaking in England and Scotland is different from the Americans, I was still puzzled and a little bit shocked. I just can’t believe that I cannot understand them. They speak very fast and they are
slang. Sometimes they speak too soft, that I can barely hear them.
Costume
Their costumes were great. Their clothing was very appropriate to be used in the play “Macbeth”. The different style and designs of their costumes signify the different roles of the actors. King Duncan’s costume was so beautiful and because of it, viewers easily knew that he was the King of Scotland. The clothes of Generals and officials were different from the soldiers and servants. As I was saying, their costumes helped the viewers in distinguishing the characters and their roles. Their costumes also helped in bringing the viewers into a different world in a different period of time, in the 16th century.
I. A. Title: The Tragedy of Macbeth
B. Director: Roman Polanski
C. Screenplay Writers: Roman Polanski and Kenneth Tynan
D. Principal Characters
King Duncan (Nicholas Selby) – The King of Scotland who was murdered by Macbeth.
Macbeth (Jon Finch) – A courageous general of King Duncan and the one who killed King Duncan.
Lady Macbeth (Francesca Annis) – The wife of Macbeth and the one who persuaded Macbeth to kill the King.
Banquo (Martin Shaw) – A general of King Duncan’s army and Macbeth’s closest friend.
Macduff (Terence Bayler) – He suspected Macbeth for the killing of the King. He is the one who killed Macbeth.
Malcolm (Stephen Chase) – Duncan’s eldest son. He fled to England after the death of the King.
Donalbain (Paul Shelley) – Duncan’s youngest son. He fled to Ireland after his Father’s death.
Ross (John Stride) – A messenger of King Duncan.
The Three Witches (Maisie MacFarquhar, Elsie Taylor, Noelle Rimmington) – The ones who prophesized the success and fall of Macbeth.
E. Settings:
Time: 16th Century
Place: Scotland
Situation:
II. PLOT
Three Witches are digging a hole and soon buried a severed hand. They are discussing about their meeting with Macbeth. Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis and Banquo, Macbeth’s closest friend are both generals of King Duncan. After defeating the army of Norway and Ireland led by Macdonwald, the Three Witches appeared to them. They prophesized that Macbeth would be the “Thane of Glamis”, the “Thane of Cawdor” and he shall “be king hereafter”. While they were wondering about the prophecies, Ross arrived with a message from the king. Ross informed Macbeth that is now the Thane of Cawdor. The prophecy came true and Macbeth’s desire for power began.
Macbeth told his wife about the prophecies. King Duncan was staying at Macbeth’s Castle at Inverness and Lady Macbeth planned about the murdering of the King. She persuaded Macbeth to do the murdering. Then Macbeth killed King Duncan. Lady Macbeth put bloody daggers beside King Duncan’s servants to frame them up. In the next morning Macduff arrived and Macbeth leads them to King Duncan’s chamber. Macbeth ordered the servants to be killed. Macduff already suspected Macbeth for the killing. Malcolm fled to England and Donalbain to Ireland. And because the sons of the King were gone, Macbeth claimed the throne because of his relation to the King.
Even he is now the king, Macbeth still worried about the prophecy of the Witches about Banquo. He then ordered Banquo and Fleance, his son, to be killed. Banquo was killed but Fleance escaped. At the banquet, Banquo’s and King Duncan’s ghosts appeared to Macbeth. In terror, Macbeth said things that lessen up his guiltlessness.
Because of the happenings, Macbeth went to the witches. The spirits told him to beware Macduff, but also none of woman born shall harm Macbeth and he will not be vanquished until Great Birnam wood to high shall come against him. In fear of Macduff, he ordered the killing of everyone in Macduff’s castle. Lady Macbeth sleepwalks washing imaginary bloodstains in her hands because of her guilt. Meanwhile in England, Macduff and Malcolm planned an invasion of Scotland. Macduff
lead their army in the woods to Macbeth’s castle. The battle started and Macduff confronted Macbeth. Macbeth told Macduff that he is not fearing him because he cannot be killed by any man born of a woman. But Macduff told him that he was born by Caesarean section. Then a fight started and Macbeth was beheaded by Malcolm. Malcolm became the king and he restored the peace in his kingdom.
III. COMMENTS
Performance of the Characters
Portraying a play written by William Shakespeare is not that easy. You have to consider all the aspects of the play to be able for you to bring up the real essence and beauty of it. For me, all the characters acted well. Jon Finch and Francesca Annis did their role very well, especially Jon. Jon’s role in acting as Macbeth is uneasy but he did it. He acted like a real general envying and aspiring for power. Francesca also did very well. Her acting as Macbeth’s wife was very effective. She effectively played as a loving wife but also a woman that is thirsty for power and luxury. Nicholas Selby as King Duncan was also great. His posture and his way of speaking made me feel and see that he is the king. I also liked Stephen Chase playing the role of Malcolm. Especially when he fought with Macbeth and beheaded him. All the soldiers and servants that fought were also great. Their fight scenes look real. Not like those scenes I have watched that looked like a scripted and a practiced fight.
Relevance of the Settings
Incidents
Language and Tone
The language of the film is English. Honestly, I cannot understand what they are saying. I just keep an eye on the scenes for me to follow the flow of the story. Their accent in speaking is very different from the ones who live in America. Well, even I already know that the way of speaking in England and Scotland is different from the Americans, I was still puzzled and a little bit shocked. I just can’t believe that I cannot understand them. They speak very fast and they are
slang. Sometimes they speak too soft, that I can barely hear them.
Costume
Their costumes were great. Their clothing was very appropriate to be used in the play “Macbeth”. The different style and designs of their costumes signify the different roles of the actors. King Duncan’s costume was so beautiful and because of it, viewers easily knew that he was the King of Scotland. The clothes of Generals and officials were different from the soldiers and servants. As I was saying, their costumes helped the viewers in distinguishing the characters and their roles. Their costumes also helped in bringing the viewers into a different world in a different period of time, in the 16th century.
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