Three UK based Film-Adaptations of Shakespeare’s Macbeth: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Film adaptations open up new possibilities of self-discovery for a film
director as they provide him a chance to transmute his own creativity with that of the
source text. The same case is with Shakespearean film adaptations. While exploring
Shakespeare’s multiverse, each filmmaker voyages towards self-fulfillment. Since
Shakespeare himself was an important part of popular culture right from his own time
and till now, there could be significant differences in the films based on a single play.
Macbeth was one of the plays that make Shakespeare fascinating and is distinguished
by the generosity of its literary insight. Macbeth is one of the ideal examples of
Shakespeare’s classical tales which have great influence on masses belong to any age.
The present paper seeks to offer a comparative study of three acclaimed UK based films
inspired from Macbeth. The point, here, is that the directors of these three films belong
to the same culture- but they have translated the play in their own way while making
certain additions and omissions. They have updated the 16th century’s play in the
contemporary scenario. However, in spite of such diversity of approach, there is
ultimately a basic unity in the directors’ response to Shakespeare. The films have
chosen for the comparative analysis are- Macbeth (1978) by Trevor Nunn, Macbeth
(1997) by Jeremy Freeston and, Rupert Goold’s Macbeth (2010).