Pittsburgh in the Round: The question of Shakespeare’s continued relevance in the modern world is an inquiry that never fully quiets. After all, so much has changed across four centuries since William Shakespeare penned Macbeth in 1606-07. However, Macbeth reminds us how strikingly little has changed when it comes to confronting those in power. We witness a country’s leader go rogue and continually one-up his docket of crimes while those around him fail to speak out, and even in that description, is the play or the present being referenced? The answer is both.
2 comments:
The choice to portray Macbeth as a stronger, more central sane character rather than one thats fearful and guilty from the very beginning is actually probably a choice that its the most effective in this day and age. Living in a day and age where someone who's unqualified for the role can become President of the United States, it's hard to do a show about a person who mercilessly worked to destroy all those around him to gain the throne and not make that clear connection from tyrant to tyrant. When I think of Donald Trump's presidency, I don't think of Melania as the mastermind, the same is clear for Macbeth. He is a man responsible for his own actions, regardless of any pressure. The message it sends is one of great reality, by taking the side of everyone else and making Macbeth the true villain that many productions want to cover up.
This article and review proved to be an interesting read. I agree with Shahzad's comment that, particularly in a time like this where we have an American president like ours, having a more central and conscious character in Macbeth would change the play immensely, and hopefully for the better. Today, it is easy for many of us to write Trump off as someone who has no mind of his own and does not have any real say in how the government is being run. However, when we look at Trump or a character like Macbeth today, it is important to see these characters as having much more will within themselves. In Macbeth, while Lady Macbeth definitely pulls strings in all of the murderous acts that are done, Macbeth can be played as held accountable for his own actions and the audience will get something very meaningful out of the production.
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