Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Is Macbeth Insane?


While searching the internet for an interesting Shakespearean adaptation, I found this commercial for a new interpretation of Macbeth. The commercial focuses on Act 2, Scene 1, lines 51-77 and, through many different factors, reveals a side of Macbeth many people wouldn’t think of. The performance focuses on the interpretation that Macbeth is insane and through cinematic effect, reveals his internal conflict over what to do about killing King Duncan. The adaptation is set in a mental hospital in which Macbeth will play all of the different characters in the original play under the pretense that he has multiple personalities. While this interpretation is fairly far-fetched, I believe it provides an important commentary on the different ways to perceive the famed protagonist: is he a cunning manipulator or a mentally disturbed man? It is up to the reader to decide. I appreciate this version of the play because it makes that decision for us and is therefore able to delve even further into this interpretation and investigate the possibilities what Macbeth’s mental illness could mean.


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