Macbeth The presentation of the witches in the opening scenes is crucial to the atmosphere of the play Macbeth. Compare how acts 1 scene i and iii are presented in two different versions of the play. Which version do you feel makes the greater dramatic

The presentation of the witches in the opening scenes is crucial to the atmosphere of the play Macbeth. Compare how acts 1 scene i and iii are presented in two different versions of the play. Which version do you feel makes the greater dramatic impact? Explain why.

Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare for the entertainment of King James i. During this time many people believed in witchcraft, King James being one of these. During the time which this play was written many people were burned at the stake for being witches, this shows us that witchcraft was a very big thing in these times increasing the believability of the witches and the importance of they're role in the play. Although the witches in the play have only a few lines they are important ones as they turn Macbeth into their puppet of bad deeds. However in our modern day witchcraft holds a very irrelevant and fairytale status.

For the purpose of doing this coursework i firs had to watch two different productions of the play Macbeth. The first version of the play, which I watched, was a production made by the BBC; this is the older of the two plays, which shows in the quality of the picture. it is old but sticks to the original text rigidly.

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The first scene of this production is set in a dark desolate and eerie area. This creates a sense of mystery. The three witches appear first as just bundles of rags lying discarded on a large rock but as the camera slowly zooms in we notice the rags are actually old hunched women standing on a large rock called a dolmen. The witches are standing in a triangle formation as well as the dolmen were both significant shapes in witchcraft due to the role of witchcraft in society at this time the appearance of this symbol heightened the already menacing and frightening atmosphere. These two features were carefully chosen by the director of this version and have subliminal effect on viewers of making them cautious of the things next to come. The director also realised the importance of the weather in this scene as for example if it had of been sunny and bright the witches would have only a comic effect on the viewers. As the scene progresses the witches features can be seen more clearly, they are depicted in this version as old warty hags dressed in rags and clothes, their faces cannot be seen clearly due to their rags which makes the viewer curious and eager to see the hideous faces hidden under the rags. As i was watching this production of Macbeth i was entranced by the appearance of the witches and i can say honestly that i was not bored in school (for once). The third scene begins on the heath once again the three witches are standing in a triangle. Behind the three witches is fog and nothing can be seen very far off this was taken from the original text by the director “Fog and filthy air.” The weather in this production seems a very important feature to the director as she concentrates on creating the right atmosphere with it in particular. The director realized the significance of the three-sided shape in the supernatural world and this adds the spookiness to these scenes. The director’s portrayal of the witches is very important for having the desired effect on the audience and she succeeds in using them in the best way possible as in scene iii Macbeth says “Speak if you can. What are you?” This shows that they were unlike ordinary women. in scene iii the witches are again standing in the triangular formation and this time we notice the witch at the peak and how she must be the predominant witch as she has more lines and they are more important to the story. Throughout the production we gain a more thorough image of her and become more engrossed in the prophecies she speaks. Also the way the witches speak in this production has an effect as although the follow the original text the witches words rhyme, this makes us think of them as real witches casting spells “When the hurly – burly's done. When the battles lost, and won.”

I have enjoyed watching this production very much.

The second version of the play I am going to examine is a more modern version directed by Ann Ross Muir. In this production the original script is not followed so closely as some lines would not fit in with the modern feel of the production. In this production of Macbeth the characters are portrayed in a very different manner to the BBC's production. In this production the witches are young and the director tries to link them with gypsies, which to a modern audience would have a greater effect than if they had of been shown as old withering hags.

In this version of the play the camera opens on an urban wasteland where the three witches are sitting, like the other production this is neither a warm or cosy place and is isolated. For me this setting had less of an effect on me than that of the other production as although cold and barren their was nothing unusual about it. The witches in this production are shown to be wearing long false nails and long gold bracelets not unlike gypsies. The witches begin sitting around a pentagram on the floor again they are sat in a triangular formation these are two things associated with the devil. In this scene we see the witches use tarot cards, in modern day these are used for predictions of the future and serve the same purpose in this production they have little effect on me though as these predictions are normally associated with “scams” .In scene iii we are introduced to Macbeth and Banquo they are dressed in air force uniform. The witches appear wearing skates. This serves in confusing Macbeth causing the viewer to become confused also. The witches are also wearing masks the effect of this is to make them seem inhuman.

Overall I was disappointed with this version and find it was unconvincing. The production of the witches was neither threatening nor scary and i found the settings boring. I feel that the BBC's version of the play although older, of better quality it has a greater dramatic impact on the viewer.

Darragh Walsh

12A3