How do different versions of Macbeth explore the ideas of masculinity and violence? In your answer, you must refer to Shakespeare’s original text and at least ONE of the film versions.
To this day, Shakespeare’s Macbeth remains one of his best known tragedies, exploring the ideas of masculinity and violence in great detail. The tragic hero and protagonist of this play is ‘brave Macbeth’ (1.2.16) who, unlike the previous Thane of Cawdor, remains loyal to King Duncan. However, through Shakespeare’s negative portrayal of manhood, which is tied with violence and physical courage, along with ambition and greed, Macbeth changes from a loyal man to one who is overcome with a thirst for power and respect.
One aspect of masculinity that Shakespeare explores in Macbeth is the courage to act and the courage to perform violent deeds, in Macbeth’s case, murder. In Shakespeare’s original play, Lady Macbeth is seen trying to convince Macbeth to kill King Duncan, in order to become King of …show more content…
Since this version of Macbeth is set in a 21st Century, first class kitchen, as opposed to a Scottish kingdom, violence in the film is portrayed through the use of kitchen knives in a modernized setting – a high class restaurant in London. The director also conveys the idea of Macbeth not having a problem with blood and gore by using a pig’s head to symbolize his response to violence. ‘First rule in the kitchen…Respect.’ In this scene Joe Macbeth is teaching other cooks how to correctly butcher a pig’s head, and how to do it with respect, this represents the idea of violence in a kitchen, and how by being head chef in a restaurant specializing in serving the innards of animals (offal), has allowed Macbeth to be become somewhat immune to violence. By viewing Macbeth as a head chef in an upper class kitchen, the audience becomes aware as to what is coming in the film – violence and
To this day, Shakespeare’s Macbeth remains one of his best known tragedies, exploring the ideas of masculinity and violence in great detail. The tragic hero and protagonist of this play is ‘brave Macbeth’ (1.2.16) who, unlike the previous Thane of Cawdor, remains loyal to King Duncan. However, through Shakespeare’s negative portrayal of manhood, which is tied with violence and physical courage, along with ambition and greed, Macbeth changes from a loyal man to one who is overcome with a thirst for power and respect.
One aspect of masculinity that Shakespeare explores in Macbeth is the courage to act and the courage to perform violent deeds, in Macbeth’s case, murder. In Shakespeare’s original play, Lady Macbeth is seen trying to convince Macbeth to kill King Duncan, in order to become King of …show more content…
Since this version of Macbeth is set in a 21st Century, first class kitchen, as opposed to a Scottish kingdom, violence in the film is portrayed through the use of kitchen knives in a modernized setting – a high class restaurant in London. The director also conveys the idea of Macbeth not having a problem with blood and gore by using a pig’s head to symbolize his response to violence. ‘First rule in the kitchen…Respect.’ In this scene Joe Macbeth is teaching other cooks how to correctly butcher a pig’s head, and how to do it with respect, this represents the idea of violence in a kitchen, and how by being head chef in a restaurant specializing in serving the innards of animals (offal), has allowed Macbeth to be become somewhat immune to violence. By viewing Macbeth as a head chef in an upper class kitchen, the audience becomes aware as to what is coming in the film – violence and