Macbeth: Writing Between Shakespeare's Lines

Macbeth, like so many of William Shakespeare’s works, has had astonishing staying power since the Bard first put quill to paper in the 16th century. Shakespeare’s plays have stood the test of time because they have an uncanny timelessness. This timeless quality opens Shakespeare’s work up to remarkable creative interpretation and innovation.
0:00 Macbeth on Stage and Screen
1:40 Kurzel's Bold Creative Choices
3:22 Grief for a Dead Son
6:14 Ghosts That Haunt the Macbeths
10:03 Fleance's Magnified Presence
13:42 Conclusion
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Thank you for watching Thought & Word. I hope you enjoy this video essay. Until next time!
Film and Stage Credits:
Macbeth. Directed by Justin Kurzel, performance by Michael Fassbender, See-Saw Films, 2015.
"Macbeth." By William Shakespeare, directed by Antoni Cimolino, performance by Ian Lake, Stratford Festival, 2017.
"Macbeth." By William Shakespeare, directed by Eve Best, performances by Joseph Millson and Billy Boyd, Shakespeare's Globe, 2013.
"Macbeth." By William Shakespeare, directed by Polly Findlay, performance by Christopher Eccleston, Royal Shakespeare Company, 2013.
Sources:
Bui, Hanh. "Effigies of Childhood in Kurzel's Macbeth." Literature Film Quarterly, vol. 48, no. 1, Winter 2020, p. 1.
Friedman, Michael D. "The Persistence of Fidelity in Reviews of Kurzel's Macbeth." Literature Film Quarterly, vol. 47, no. 4, Fall 2019, p. 4.
"Macbeth director Justin Kurzel: 'You're getting close to evil.'" Interview conducted by Danny Leigh. The Guardian, Guardian News & Media Limited, 24 Sept. 2015.
Miller, Gemma. "'He Has No Children': Changing Representations of the Child in Stage and Film Productions of Macbeth from Polanski to Kurzel." Shakespeare, vol. 13, no. 1, Apr. 2017, pp. 52-66.
Rasmus Agnieszka. "What Bloody Film Is This? Macbeth for Our Time." Multicultural Shakespeare, no. 1, 2018, p. 115.
#Macbeth #Shakespeare #VideoEssay

Пікірлер: 81

  • @halodude7239
    @halodude72393 жыл бұрын

    The final shot of Malcolm going after Fleance was perfect. I always felt the ending of Macbeth did not truly feel like a victory. You know the spirit of evil and greed that was in Macbeth would go on to infect others. That part of human nature will never go away. The desire for power, and for no one else to even have a shot at that power.

  • @swarnashlokechakraborty5392

    @swarnashlokechakraborty5392

    11 ай бұрын

    Wasnt Fleance dead already, burned at the stake with Macduff's family? I saw the kid as a metaphor. He lifts Macbeth's sword and runs away which to me meant the unending cycle of vices that Macbeth embodies. That will corrupt his innocence. Malcolm on the other hand was declared king and too walks away, mirroring the kid. To me it meant that he too will fall into the snares that plague sovereignty- the endless loop of squalor. Power attracts ruin.

  • @OverLorD768

    @OverLorD768

    Ай бұрын

    @@swarnashlokechakraborty5392 no, he wasn't. And yes, he did became a king later, fulfilling yet another of witches prophecies.

  • @yy-qj8ym
    @yy-qj8ym4 жыл бұрын

    I can't wrap my head around the fact that the algorithm hasn't picked up on you that much yet! Please keep up with the content, your thoughts are a great addition to the works you dedicate your videos to!

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the kind words. They mean a lot to me. I really enjoy making these videos-from the research, to the writing, to the editing. I've got more ideas in the pipeline, it's just a matter of finding the time to make them a reality.

  • @yy-qj8ym

    @yy-qj8ym

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@ThoughtWord I'm thrilled to see more of your work! :)

  • @joke5735

    @joke5735

    4 жыл бұрын

    I completely agree, it’s a crime.

  • @aberrantcow
    @aberrantcow4 жыл бұрын

    I love this film’s interpretation of Macbeth

  • @halodude7239

    @halodude7239

    3 жыл бұрын

    Its fucking amazing I agree

  • @ba6561

    @ba6561

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@halodude7239 the scottish comment

  • @codylakin288
    @codylakin2882 ай бұрын

    I’m writing this while watching the video, but I have to say: brilliant analysis here. Refreshing. For one, I think it’s fair to say there’s an integral dimension to Shakespeare that happens between the text, not within it. So any adaptation should consider not merely how to interpret and frame the text, but how to portray what happens outside and between it. Macbeth 2015 is my favorite adaptation, by FAR, for how it frames and contextualizes the text, and what it does to interpret what’s not in the text. You speak to this so well in your analysis of the film’s portrayal of violence, its emphasis on grief and trauma, and the importance of children. My favorite thing about this adaptation is its interpretation of the character of Macbeth. How he’s so haunted, regretful, grief-ridden, and, ultimately, how he embraces his fate rather than fighting against it. Many lines throughout the play imply his desire for death, yet I rarely see this embraced in adaptations or performances.

  • @jacksonjanis5460
    @jacksonjanis54602 жыл бұрын

    Should have won Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor, Beat Supporting Role, Best Director, and Best Soundtrack.

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    2 жыл бұрын

    And Best Cinematography, for sure. It's a beautifully shot film.

  • @willowjohnson8553
    @willowjohnson85534 жыл бұрын

    Wow, this was excellent. I had my Beowulf classmates over to watch this movie a couple of months ago, and I think this video essay will finally let me put it to rest. The theme of children was so well-explored here, I wasn’t quite making the connections you drew! Not only that, but I loved the editing too, great work. Good choice to keep the score underneath, I would kill and die for those droning strings. Thanks for the amazing video!

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the compliments! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Not only was it fun to make, but the research beforehand was really fascinating! I could talk about all the things Kurzel and co. do in this movie for a long time.

  • @markyp9215
    @markyp921518 күн бұрын

    This analysis is so good. I show it to my students all the time. I love this version, and I adore your analysis.

  • @alejandrotoro9676
    @alejandrotoro9676 Жыл бұрын

    As someone that is writing an adaptation of Macbeth you don’t know how useful this essay is for me

  • @romanzadgk
    @romanzadgk Жыл бұрын

    This video essay was AMAZING

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment!

  • @sweener88
    @sweener88 Жыл бұрын

    This is an incredible video. Thank you for making this. I will be using it with my students next term. Cheers from Australia

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    Жыл бұрын

    Cheers! So glad you enjoyed it! As a teacher myself, I'm incredibly honored that you would include the video in your curriculum. If you're interested, I made another video last year that discusses the Macbeth adaptation starring Denzel Washington. kzread.info/dash/bejne/i2aEwdRseMnPkqg.html

  • @UltimateKyuubiFox
    @UltimateKyuubiFox4 жыл бұрын

    Gorgeous work here, sir. Shakespeare never ends, so long as the times keep changing.

  • @ricardobirnbaum
    @ricardobirnbaum2 жыл бұрын

    Great analysis of the film. Beautifully written and spoken. Thanks for sharing. I found myself at odds with the film when I first saw it, but it’s one of those that grows in you as time moves on. Your words have helped me see other layers that I missed after six full viewings… keep them coming. Can’t wait for more.

  • @calderlevine7489
    @calderlevine74894 жыл бұрын

    this is incredibly well synthesized. good work.

  • @harshgarg7542
    @harshgarg75423 жыл бұрын

    I am in love with your analysis , please do a literary review for se classics , I think if I had teachers like you in my country I would have been a student of literature , or at least had an appreciation of art , & not a person who can only write in broken English.

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    3 жыл бұрын

    Why thank you! That's high praise! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

  • @oliwia3869
    @oliwia38692 жыл бұрын

    BRO THIS WAS SOME EPIC VIDEO ESSAY MAN 👁👄👁 Definitely a prime example for an engaging and thoughtful response to an incredible film, very well done on the editing too everything tied together so professionally! But just one question: WHERE IS THE BACKGROUND MUSIC FROM its honestly so captivating and made me even more invested in the video, I hope I'm not like 2 years late lol. Again, well done!

  • @eddielee-kn6zx
    @eddielee-kn6zx11 ай бұрын

    The battle of inner conflict… that’s all I’m going to say, & I could say so much.

  • @NjamNjam0
    @NjamNjam0 Жыл бұрын

    I've recently read the play and after I watched the movie I came to search for the fight scene between Macduff and Macbeth (mostly to hear the dialogue which gave me goosebumps). Stumbled upon your video. Your content made my whole night. Thank you for making it

  • @josephryan9628
    @josephryan96282 жыл бұрын

    I had to do a double take at the views. You are the reason people come to KZread keep going man

  • @AhanaNags
    @AhanaNags3 жыл бұрын

    Mannnnnn.... this was something else! Awesome video!

  • @TheOccasionalEdit
    @TheOccasionalEdit4 жыл бұрын

    honestly an amazing video and really lets me wrap my head around how much I love both the play and that movie. Thank you for the awesome content and I can't wait to watch more!

  • @r.p.auspice3535
    @r.p.auspice35354 жыл бұрын

    Amazing! The conclusion gave me chills. Love your content, keep it up.

  • @conrad4852
    @conrad48525 ай бұрын

    This was a wonderful discussion of a great film adaptation. My thanks.

  • @pninnabokov3734
    @pninnabokov3734 Жыл бұрын

    Has a disturbingly familiar ring: "Swords into Ploughshares Proposal 1989 (East Germany)."

  • @natalierose1072
    @natalierose10727 ай бұрын

    This is such a great movie full of amazing performances

  • @anjalirenee
    @anjalirenee3 жыл бұрын

    one of my favourite movies and I finally find a video on it thank you!

  • @fredpeterson75
    @fredpeterson754 жыл бұрын

    Great analysis on one of my favorite films ever!

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! Agreed, it's a fantastic film. Kurzel and company take liberties with the source material, but in all the right ways.

  • @daniellemckenna8576
    @daniellemckenna85764 жыл бұрын

    Your videos are great!

  • @cheyennewalstyn1884
    @cheyennewalstyn18844 жыл бұрын

    Wow! this was seriously so cool, and you have such fantastic video quality: your audio is really clean, you speak clearly and have a great voice, the video's edited really well and your outro is so professional. This is so crazily high quality and your analysis was so interesting and well-considered. I look forward to going through your other videos!

  • @bagthebird7610
    @bagthebird76102 жыл бұрын

    This is excellent work, thank you

  • @saharz428
    @saharz4284 жыл бұрын

    Keep posting man !!

  • @lieslyvette27
    @lieslyvette273 жыл бұрын

    Great analysis - thank you.

  • @stuffandthat157
    @stuffandthat1574 жыл бұрын

    Another great analysis on a brilliant film based on one of my favourite texts I studied at school

  • @JesseReviews
    @JesseReviews2 жыл бұрын

    Really well made, loved your video and I understand the movie a lot more because of it.

  • @grjeoggoe
    @grjeoggoe4 жыл бұрын

    Very nice editing lad. Simple, effective and nicely cut. Best of luck with the channel

  • @adameggers8146
    @adameggers81464 жыл бұрын

    Well done. I liked the analysis of the role of children very much.One small recommendation and one point to ponder. It would be very helpful to put up on screen the words of the text you show quoted. Shakespeare's language can be hard to understand and the strong Scottish accents compound the challenge. I was taken by the use of religious symbolism in this production, especially in light of many scholars who see Shakespeare as putting Macbeth firmly in the camp of pre-Christian pagans while identifying his successors with the Church. Both to highlight Macbeth's evil nature and pay tribute to the sitting monarchy for their devotion to "the one true faith." Looking forward to more videos

  • @CrimsonGeode
    @CrimsonGeode2 жыл бұрын

    Very good analysis video

  • @johannem5416
    @johannem54164 жыл бұрын

    Such amazing content! Your perspective is so interesting and fresh, I can’t believe I only just discovered your channel - keep up the good work!

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for the kind words! Much appreciated!

  • @coolbeans5911
    @coolbeans59113 жыл бұрын

    I didn't know i could love Macbeth more than i already did yet here we are. This was incredible

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you, that's a huge compliment! Macbeth is definitely one of my favorites. I look forward to teaching it every year.

  • @coolbeans5911

    @coolbeans5911

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@ThoughtWord it was my all time favourite book in highschool and holds a special place in my heart. I still quote it sometimes. It's just such a beautifully tragic tale. Must be fun to teach it😁

  • @owendamsell
    @owendamsell4 жыл бұрын

    WOW! Such a fresh take on the film. I had similar thoughts on the young soldier, you're analysis of that was so great and helped me understand it much more. I'm glad you talked about the ending. When I first watched it, I was blown away! Hearing your explanation of it was something I have been waiting for. Brillant video man :)

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

  • @cameronmoriarty8143
    @cameronmoriarty81432 жыл бұрын

    Thank you brother, excellent 🙏👍✌️

  • @Sana-mb6ig
    @Sana-mb6ig2 жыл бұрын

    I absolutely respect the richness you incorporate in your videos! It is a lot of work but you make KZread great for English Lit students 😭 can't thank you enough sir 🥺

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for your kind words! I've got a lineup of future video ideas, but I'm always interested in suggestions as well!

  • @chengzeduan1933
    @chengzeduan19333 жыл бұрын

    this is so good

  • @eab2210
    @eab22103 жыл бұрын

    Just happened on this. Great video, you pointed out a lot I hadn't noticed.

  • @wackymackyboy
    @wackymackyboy Жыл бұрын

    Adding to the theme of children, there is also at least one scene where MacDuff is embracing his son with great affection and intimacy during MacBeth's pronouncement as successor.

  • @Ayluy
    @Ayluy4 жыл бұрын

    This is very interesting and well-structured. Adding subtitles to these would be excellent both to follow the quotes, as well to make it accessible for people who are hard of hearing, deaf or speak English as a second language. I feel that a lot of people would ne able to take something from the quality of this :)

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for that suggestion! I will take some time to do that when I get the chance.

  • @4-a-e
    @4-a-e Жыл бұрын

    This was a banger from the start! Sub.

  • @permasun1
    @permasun12 жыл бұрын

    Excellent analysis

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you much!

  • @wisdommanari6701
    @wisdommanari67013 жыл бұрын

    I was looking for this one review for several weeks.

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    3 жыл бұрын

    Glad you found it!

  • @pranavvishnu808
    @pranavvishnu8084 жыл бұрын

    U deserve more subs

  • @wackymackyboy
    @wackymackyboy Жыл бұрын

    Excellent analysis. Very insightful and educational. What do you think of MacBeth's decision to allow MacDuff to kill him? He literally ordered him to do it with a thundering roar. Was it suicide as a result of terminal PTSD? Also it could be his recognition that MavDuff deserved to kill him so thereby MacBeth, in his final moments, broke the witches spell and recognized a universal truth of justice that held sway over even his own life. Certainly after he was slain MacDuff appeared not celebratory but rather sorrowful and Malcolm observes that MacBeth deserves more sorrow. MacBeth choosing to sacrifice his own life so that MacDuff could have the justice he deserved echoes the phrase "Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it."

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    Жыл бұрын

    Given the trajectory of Fassbender's version of Macbeth I think it makes sense. Does it jive with Shakespeare's words in that particular moment? I'm not so sure of that. Denzel Washington delivers those lines to perfection, though. Probably my favorite version of that scene.

  • @matthewpaolucci2854
    @matthewpaolucci28543 жыл бұрын

    ...."and pick up tools instead"....one sec let me hit that sub button real quick.

  • @brianbommarito3376
    @brianbommarito337610 ай бұрын

    I think I might have an explanation to the controversy around whether or not Macbeth and Lady Macbeth actually had a child. (Of course, in the film they did, but I’m talking about the play). Although the historical Macbeth was different from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, I think I found a possible similarity between them. The real life Macbeth took his wife from her former husband after Macbeth conquered and killed him. And I bet that Lady Macbeth might have had a child by that previous husband, who died young. So both the persons who say they had children and those who don’t are partly correct. Macbeth himself had no children, but Lady Macbeth did have one. Taking the words of the play literally, this would be the only explanation for how Lady Macbeth can say she knows what it feels like to be a mother (Act 1, Scene 7, verses 54-55), and how MacDuff can say later of Macbeth “He has no children.” (Act 4, Scene 3, verse 221).

  • @ThoughtWord

    @ThoughtWord

    10 ай бұрын

    Great perspective and insight! It's always interesting to see where Shakespeare takes creative liberties with the historical background of his plays.

  • @olgas9970
    @olgas99703 жыл бұрын

    I would agree that this is a very 21th century interpretation of the text. Children and death were viewed much differently before modern medicine. I think Shakespeare did include the theme of grief in his work, maybe not over the death of Macbeth’s child, but perhaps about the death of his blood line, in particular in his vision of Banquo’s descendants, and his frequent hallucinations of blood. Great video though!!

  • @kakarotwolf
    @kakarotwolf Жыл бұрын

    I want to watch this, but I wish it were shot in black and white.

  • @isoldewas
    @isoldewas4 жыл бұрын

    !!!!

  • @lubormrazek5545
    @lubormrazek55452 жыл бұрын

    Commenting So algorithm notices

  • @pninnabokov3734
    @pninnabokov3734 Жыл бұрын

    Kurzel's one of my least favourite versions. It's artistic license run amok.

  • @pninnabokov3734

    @pninnabokov3734

    6 ай бұрын

    How annoying these Kurzel types can be. Llikewise David Tennant's one-note, flouncy and histrionic, blathering Hamlet.