Comparative Analysis: Shakespeare's Macbeth and Roman Polanski's Film

This essay provides a comparative analysis of William Shakespeare's play *Macbeth* and Roman Polanski's film adaptation of the same name. It examines key differences in plot structure, character portrayal, and thematic emphasis. The essay highlights how Polanski's film diverges from the original play, particularly in the portrayal of characters like Donalbain and Lady Macbeth, and in the overall tone and ending. The study also explores how the film adaptation modernizes certain elements while remaining true to the core themes of ambition, greed, and the consequences of one's actions. The essay emphasizes that the film version of Macbeth is not a complete tragedy, unlike the play itself. This is supported by the fact that in the film, it is seen by the readers themselves that Malcolm is envied by his brother Donalbain himself. The essay aims to evaluate the differences between the plot and structure of the work in both the movie and play forms. The portrayal of the characters will be important to note how the concepts have changed over the time. The essay concludes by asserting that both the play and the film have garnered significant critical acclaim, offering unique interpretations of Shakespeare's timeless tragedy.

Running head: COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MACBETH
Comparative Study of Macbeth
Name of the Student
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Author Note

1COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MACBETH
Macbeth is considered to be one of the well-known tragedies written by popular
playwright and author William Shakespeare. The tragedy tells the readers about the story of
one man’s descent into greed, madness and darkness and the consequences of such actions as
is seen by Macbeth’s actions in the tragedy itself. However, experts and movie viewers are of
the opinion that the original tragedy of Macbeth is said to have a lot of differences with the
film of the same name directed by Roman Polanski himself. In this essay the comparisons
will be made between the movie form and the original play form so the differences can be
identified.
This essay aims at evaluating the differences between the plot and structure of the
work in both the movie and play forms. The portrayal of the characters will be important to
note how the concepts have changed over the time.
This work of Macbeth had been written in the beginning of the 17th centjury. As it has
been one of the most successful plays by the playwright William Shakespeare, it has been
adapted in the theatres a number of times. Apart from that, many movie makers have also
adapted the plot of the play and presented it in their own style and form. The modernization
of this plot has been made many times as well. Likewise, Roman Polanski has offered his
own interpretation of the movie as well.
It should also be said that Roman Polanski had been the most successful director who
was able to produce the play in the film version. The ultimate fate of the Scottish tyrant
Macbeth has been portrayed by Roman in the best manner. The interpretation of the movie is
brilliant and it is full of best individual performances by the actors. However, some changes
have been made as the audience is unable to find the catharsis in the movie. Finally they get
on to give sympathy to the tragic hero of Macbeth and they build a very strong emotional
bonding with Macbeth.

2COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MACBETH
This work of Macbeth has been written in the play form by William Shakespeare and
converted into the movie form by Roman Polanski. Both of the works emphasize on the
importance of the tragic hero in their works, thereby urging the readers of the essay to have
some sympathy for the character of the tragic hero in their works, in spite of the wrongdoings
which have been committed by these characters in the works itself .
The one important comparison which can be made between the play and the film
version of Macbeth is that filmmaker Roman Polanski did not turn the film, into a complete
tragedy unlike the play itself. This is supported by the fact that in the film, it is seen by the
readers themselves that Malcolm is envied by his brother Donalbain himself. The reason for
this is of course King Duncan rewarding Malcolm as his successor and the Prince of
Cumberland itself, while Donalbain gets nothing from his father (Jones:250). Although the
ply by Shakespeare does hint at Donalbain’s dislike for his brother Malcolm, the film by
Polanski emphasizes on this point itself, turning the dislike directly into envy (Minton:430).
This is proved by the facial expression which Donalbain makes after Malcolm had been
declared as The Prince of Cumberland by their father, which adds to the mystery and the
suspense of the film for the first time viewers themselves. This facial expression was like one
of jealousy and anger. This is why the plot of the movie was completely changed since
Donalbain became the one who ran the destruction work in Scotland. Another important point
which leads to the comparison between the play and the film version of Macbeth is the fact
that Donalbain escapes to Ireland after the murder of King Duncan and never comes back in
the play itself. However, the readers find that there is a twist in the film itself, as the ending
of the film showed the return of Donalbain form Ireland and walking straight into the witches
(Jones:250).
This major twist concludes the fact that the film hints at the same cycle of blood
during the reign of Malcolm also, unlike the play which ends with Malcolm making a speech

3COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MACBETH
in which he vows to return the country to its former condition before the ascendance of
Macbeth to the throne of Scotland itself (Minton:430). The filmmaker hints that darkness,
madness and greed will return to haunt the kingdom of Cumberland once again, only this
time, it will carried out by Donalbain. The witches will unleash their evilness on the kingdom
once again having found a new pawn in the form of Donalbain. In the ending of the play,
Macbeth had been punished by the joint army of Malcolm and Macduff. Malcom became the
just king after the tyrant Macbeth had been killed by Macduff after a ferocious skirmish
between the two.
In addition to this, the murder of King Duncan has also been more emphasized in the
film than in the play itself. This is evidenced by the character of Macbeth who, appears to the
readers to be pleases as he murders King Duncan himself. This has been written down in the
original play of Shakespeare. It takes at the beginning when Duncan and all his people were
invited at Inverness, the fortress of Macbeth. Macbeth was pleased as he would become the
next king of Scotland. A lionshare of credit would go in favour of his queen as well.
However, the readers are of the opinion that this was not the case in the original play of
Macbeth. The readers get to know the fact that this was done deliberately to please the king,
who would not have liked to see another King getting murdered on the stage.
There is also significant differences between the character of Lady Macbeth in the
platy and also in the film version itself. Lady Macbeth in the play is known to the readers to
be a rogue woman who had provoked Macbeth to commit the atrocities which he had
committed. In contrast to this, when the readers analyse the character of Lady Macbeth in the
film itself, it is seen that she is a gentle courteous woman who does not threaten Macbeth for
following her wishes.

4COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MACBETH
Thus, from the above paragraphs, it can be concluded that Macbeth the play by
William Shakespeare is indeed different from the film of Roman Polanski. This is because
the film included additional details, which sometimes externs to the changed personalities of
the characters in the film itself. It is very apparent that both the drama and the movie have
acquired a great deal of appreciation from the readers and the audiences. Both these pieces of
art have received high critical acclaims.

5COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MACBETH
Reference List
Jan, Lukas. "A Comparison between Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Polanski’s film adaptation from
1971 and Kurzel’s film adaptation from 2015." (2017).
Jones, Keith. "Sarah Hatchuel, Nathalie Vienne-Guerrin, and Victoria Bladen, eds.
Shakespeare on Screen:“Macbeth.” Samuel Crowl. Screen Adaptations:
Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” The Relationship between Text and Film." (2015): 244-247.
Minton, Gretchen E. ""… the season of all natures": Montana Shakespeare in the Parks'
Global Warming Macbeth." Shakespeare Bulletin 36.3 (2018): 429-448.
Oliven, Rafael Campos. "MACBETH AND THE TWISTS OF THE SOUL." Cadernos do IL
49: 143-158.
Rasmus, Agnieszka. "What bloody film is this? Macbeth for our time." Multicultural
Shakespeare: Translation, Appropriation and Performance 18.1 (2018): 115-128.
Sinyard, Neil. "'In My Mind's Eye': Shakespeare on the Screen." Filming Literature.
Routledge, 2013. 15-38.
Sinyard, Neil. "'In My Mind's Eye': Shakespeare on the Screen." Filming Literature.
Routledge, 2013. 15-38.

6COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MACBETH