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Macbeth Retold: Guilt And Irony

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What makes a moral person? Although morality is malleable, no truly moral person escapes the natural human instinct of guilt. These universal ideas are conveyed throughout Shakespeare’s 17th-century play ‘Macbeth’ and Mark Brozel’s 2005 modern film adaptation, ‘Macbeth Retold’. But why is Shakespeare still relevant in this day and age? Well, “William Shakespeare’s work is not of an age, but for all time”. I agree with this because his work incorporates his perspectives on life and many timeless themes.

Shakespeare delves into the notion that when unethical actions go unchecked by moral restraints, they will have consequences. Macbeth, initially an honourable soldier, goes on a murder spree driven by desire to be king. This loss of morality …show more content…

Shakespeare and Brozel engage with the idea that it's impossible to avoid guilt and that it can haunt individuals through hallucinations. After the murder, Lady Macbeth tells her husband to "wash this filthy witness from your hand". The motif of blood symbolises guilt and water represents purity and life. In parallel, Ella tells Joe, "A little water and we’re clean". The irony of this situation is evident as they continue to wash their hands with a basin filled with water, highlighting their overflowing paranoia and guilt. Nonetheless, guilt ultimately drives the two to insanity. On the other hand, Macbeth and Joe are aware that their guilt extends beyond the literal "blood" on their "hand[s]" and the metaphorical "blood" on their souls is permanent. For example, Macbeth asks, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?" This dramatic dialogue and hyperbole suggest that they cannot avoid the consequences of their actions. Furthermore, the blood motif represents Macbeth's guilt and the belief that his actions will forever haunt him. The film also conveys this through the repetitive jump cuts of shots zooming in on Ella in the shower and close-up shots of Joe watching as she begins to shower in blood. Brozel takes a more literal approach to Shakespeare's blood motif, using the imagery of blood to show how guilt haunts Joe's conscience and causes him to hallucinate. Therefore, both composers propose

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