The Different Representations of Lady Macbeth's Character in Shakespeare's Tragedy and in Kurzel's Adaptation

Seminar paper from the year 2019 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1.7, University of Bonn, language: English, abstract: This term paper will focus on Kurzel’s adaptation, more precisely it will focus on one of Shakespeare’s most controversial characters: Lady Macbeth. Reading Shakespeare offers the reader the opportunity to interpret Lady Macbeth in different ways. While some adaptations present Lady Macbeth as an evil woman who has a masculine side, others present her more as a potent person and give her an empowering touch, there are also people who might see her as a victim of her devotion to her husband. Focusing on the female gender, this paper will analyse and compare how Lady Macbeth is presented and illustrated in Shakespeare’s original play and in Kurzel’s Adaptation. First, the paper is going to give a general overview on ‘Feminist Theory’ by introducing key terms that are significant for the analysis. Then it will give a short overview of the characteristics of an ideal Elizabethan woman. The main part will focus on two scenes in which Lady Macbeth is actively present. After deconstructing the selected Lady Macbeth scenes, in the source text and in the adaptation, it will compare them to each other. Therefore, the main part of this paper will analyse the character of Lady Macbeth by focusing on the female gender and comparing how she is represented in the book and in the movie. It will pay attention to the historical context, speech, gestures and mimics, but also on costumes and setting. William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, who wrote his poems and plays during the Renaissance. He is known for his various works of literature. “Sonnet 18”, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet are only a few examples of his famous works. His unique plays are dealing with different topics, showing wide knowledge of human behavior, expressed through a vast range of characters. Shakespeare’s works are still read and taught not only in school and university but also play a role in our daily lives; his topics are still relevant today. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets have been adapted into more than 420 films and TV-Movie versions. Macbeth was filmed 37 times. The most recent Macbeth adaptation is from 2015 by Justin Kurzel.