Emily Kolak Mr. Wilkins English 10 Honors May 8, 2024 Comparing Different Versions of the Final Scene of Macbeth Macbeth is an extremely well-known and popular play written by William Shakespeare around the year 1606. Since then, many adaptations have been created by directors and actors all over the world, altered in various ways to emphasize certain aspects of the original Macbeth. The final scene of Macbeth includes dramatic dialogue and fighting that takes place between the two main characters, illustrating Macbeth’s wavering mental state and his transformation from the hero to the potential villain. At this point in the story, Macbeth had committed multiple murders, which had led to him being extremely mentally unstable and paranoid. Although he was portrayed as the protagonist at the …show more content…
Both of these adaptations utilize different methods to alter the final fight scene of the play, which demonstrates both how versatile the scene can be, and how the message changes when different elements are altered. Although it is often not the first thing noticed when viewing a movie, the set or background of a scene is one of the most important aspects of storytelling. The surroundings of a scene can make it more interesting, draw focus to certain aspects of the scene, and help build the storyline. In the original Macbeth by Shakespeare, the fight takes place in and around Dunsinane Castle, the castle that Macbeth has lived in since he murdered the former ruler, Duncan, and became king (Act 2, Scene 2). After Macbeth kills Young Siward on the battlefield, he fights Macduff inside the castle (Act 5, Scene 8). It is unclear whether or not there were soldiers around to witness the murder of Macbeth. In The Tragedy of Macbeth directed by Joel Coen in 2021, the set is extremely minimalistic in the final fight