Academic Criticism: Literature
Lady Macbeth’s Scene from Macbeth
Academic Criticism: Art
Provide the Title of Your Selection:
Academic Criticism: Theater
Michael Lynch’s Stage Adaptation
Step 1: Observe Lady Macbeth was being haunted in her dreams because of the actions her and her husband had carried out. Characterizations was also revealed because it showed Lady Macbeth was not cold hearted and that she had a conscience.
Lady Macbeth is wearing a white dress to show her true innocence but her hair is black to show the darkness within. The people were in the corner because they wanted to listen what she was saying while she was sleep walking
The doctor and lady Macbeth are in this scene. There is also another woman is wearing old clothing. The doctor is a woman in this stage adaptation but is described as a male in Shakespeare’s writing. Again, Lady Macbeth is wearing a white dress and has black hair implying her guilt ridden conscience.
Step 2: Question Why was it chosen for Lady Macbeth’s character to experience such guilt when she was such a cold hearted character in the beginning? How did this contribute to the outcome of the play?
Why was Lady Macbeth in all white? Why was the doctor remaining in the corner instead of helping Lady Macbeth back to her bed?
Why in this adaptation did Lynch have the doctor as a woman and not as a male like the play had portrayed?
Step 3: Analyze Lady Macbeth starts to feel guilty because it shows the darkness that is slowly going to start taking over Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s relationship and not in a good way.
The doctor stayed in the corner with the woman to show their interest in what Lady Macbeth was saying and how they were whispering to each other. Lady Macbeth was put in all white to show she still had a sense of innocence to her
Lynch possibly made a woman play as the doctor because earlier in the play the doctor states that all men are born of women.
Step 4: Evaluate The author accomplishes the theme that Darkness is Dangerous because showing how the evil actions that Lady Macbeth had did left a darkness in her that she could not handle. Therefore, haunting her through many nights and eventually leading to her own downfall.
The painter accomplished the portrayal they wanted the viewer to see of the guilt ridden soul that Lady Macbeth had obtained and how she in fact was remorseful for the things she did, showing her pure innocence that she has always, shown just by simply wearing a white dress and the people in the corner whispering showing how her thoughts that were being spoken must have been of high importance and depth.
The director accomplished a portrayal of the doctor in his own words. “All men are born of women.” I also feel that a male doctor might not have been more likely to stay ease drop on Lady Macbeths sleepwalking like a woman would.
Critique:
Shakespeare’s original text of Lady Macbeths sleepwalking scene which had shown the toll that was taken on Lady Macbeth after the murder she had taken part in, was and inspiration not only for painters but for other directors to remake the play in their interpretations. Both the painting and the Theater production captured the sole purpose of the scene that Shakespeare originally had wrote and they were both similar in character with only a slight difference. The painting by Artus Scheiner, had captured Lady Macbeth’s innocence but also accomplished making the scene seem a bit “spooky” with the lighting. In similarity to the theater production it was also dark and Lady Macbeth walked in lighting. Lady Macbeths true mentality was shown in the production when she sat on the floor and started to rub her hands together vigorously to wash off the imaginary blood she sees on her hands. The painting shows Lady Macbeth walking calmly but in the production she screams with frustration unable to let anyone what she has done, so she is left with having to keep the secret forever. However, Scheiner’s painting captured the main purpose of this scene in one picture, all by contrasting the lighting and choosing the clothes that she wore to represent her personality with no words. Lynch’s adaptation of the play also took advantage of the white dress and black hair appearance to vaguely brush on Lady Macbeth’s true inner self being taken over by evil deeds.
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