Haley Traverse Mr. Wilkins English 10 Honors May 2024 The Influence of a Bloody Dagger In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 1 plays a crucial role in demonstrating Macbeth's internal turning point that haunts him throughout the rest of the play. This scene depicts Macbeth’s hallucination of a dagger, which indicates his decision to murder Duncan, the king of Scotland. This decision is influenced by his ambitions, the Witches' prophecies, and the persistence of his wife, Lady Macbeth. Macbeth wants to manipulate his fate, so it will conform to his desires. However, after trying to master fate once he puts himself in the position where he can’t stop, he becomes delusional and obsessed. Even though this scene isn’t the climax of the play, it remains a pivotal point in Macbeth's …show more content…
The camera switches between Macbeth's face and Duncan’s door. The handle of the door appears to be glowing and is also in the shape of a dagger. This unique and creative adaptation allows Coen to highlight how Macbeth’s hasn’t gone too far yet. However, the second he touches that door, there's no return. Additionally, despite being produced in 2021 Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth is filmed entirely in black and white, and with a minimalist set. This is an interesting artistic choice, however, it allows the film to emphasize the shadow and light. For example, the scene is set in a long, dark hallway with Duncan’s chamber at the end. Along the corridor sit large arched windows that allow beams of light to shine into the path which Macbeth walks. As he makes his way forward he steps into the light and then the darkness; he repeats this all the way down the hall. This shows the conflict happening in his mind, as he truly doesn’t know what to do. When he gets closer to the door, and ultimately murders, the scene gets darker and darker. Similar to Coen’s film, Goolds 2010 Macbeth adaptation has Macbeth passing through the light and