Presentation of Macbeth to Elizabethan and Contemporary Audiences

For this piece of coursework, I am going to compare and contrast how I as a theatre director, would present the witches' scenes in Macbeth to an Elizabethan audience and a Contemporary audience.

Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. The language used by Shakespeare is open to reinterpretation. Different people who read it will understand it in different ways. The text has many different meanings. This means that as the audience's changes socially, politically, economically and culturally there will be a different interpretation. The concept of 'witches' is continually open to reinterpretation.

In the 16th century the audience was not like it is today. People in general believed in witches. It was thought that they were a real presence. Magic was a common subject and quite normal. However, witches were also thought to be evil and were therefore killed. An example of this was 'The Witch Trials' where James I executed hundreds of young women because they were thought to be witches.

However, in the 21st century, there is a completely different concept of witches. Magic is no longer believed in. therefore, witches are now an aspect of fiction. Any outside influence that cannot be explained is not said to be magic or luck, it is explained to us by psychiatrists to be some kind of phenomena of the human mind. This means basically that it is of our own imaginations.

SCENE 1

This scene is the first encounter with the witches. In order to present it to a 16th century audience, I would present the witches as evil looking old women. They would be haggard and gnarled looking. This is how the audience would expect them to look. However, they would have a certain look of masculinity, this would throw the audience into disorder, which is wanted. This is because it would present something, which is the complete opposite of their common beliefs. Which are that men are the stronger sex and therefore rule over ...

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SCENE 1

For the 21st century audience, I would present the witches not as people, but as some type of spirit, which is the product of society's fears and guilt. They would be the voice of today's fear. This would be more believable nowadays due to our modern society. The language used would be altered slightly so as to make more sense. For example, change from old to modern English. Also, when the second witch says 'paddock calls' (line 9) it shall be read as if it is the future calling them. This would then be the link between the play and our modern society.

SCENE 2

This scene would be very realistic for the Elizabethan audience. The witches would be prophesising to Macbeth and Banquo. This would be acceptable to this audience as witches were commonly mischievous. When the witches are discussing where they have been lines 1-30, I would have them acting out the 'sailor's wife munching on chestnuts in her lap' and the ship being 'tempest tossed' this will add to the atmosphere of the scene.

This scene would be presented very differently to the 21st century audience though. The witches would be not unlike 'voices' inside Macbeth's head. The lines would be spoken by different people although actually read by the same person. It would be like the three witches were the different sides of Macbeth's personality. For example, all of the witches are sisters this makes them seem to be similar however, each witch says different things this shows their differences. For example, from lines 11-13 they have something in common whereas later on lines 26-28, one witch has something, which another does not. This could be altered and exploited so as to make the witches really seem like Macbeth's alter egos.

SCENE 3

Again, this I mean ghosts, visions etcetera, would present this scene with all of the 'scary stuff'. These were the common beliefs of the period and were fiercely feared and respected. The witches would be evil and unfeeling. I would let the witches cackle and present their familiars. This would create a feeling of truth, as Elizabethans believed that all witches had familiars, which were never very far from them. Also, when Macbeth addresses the witches in lines 62-63, 'how now, you secret, black and midnight hags? What is it you do?' I would make Macbeth seem very courageous in front of the witches. This could be associated with the Elizabethans sense of paternal power.

For the 21st century, the witch's voices would be presented as the evil voice of society. The truth behind the perfect image that we try to give. The lines would be said in a whisper and would be said very harshly and calculatedly. This fits in with todays that there is an opposite of everything. Nothing comes without a loss. The speech used would be altered from its original form to take this into account.

In conclusion, the way that the scenes would be presented to an Elizabethan audience are very realistic and scary. By scary, I mean that as the Elizabethans believed in witches, they feared them. So, when I present the witches and their familiars, it would be scary to this audience.

However, this varies greatly from the way in which I would present the scenes to a contemporary audience. This being that everything is presented on a sub-conscious level. This is more acceptable to the society of today. Anything that is not quickly explained away is a threat to the stability of our society. If a seemingly abnormal occurrence cannot be explained as some kind of phenomenon, people begin to feel at risk and scared. This feeling of insecurity has always been covered up through the different eras by different beliefs and commonly accepted ideas. If there were not a solid belief, we would be thrown into chaos and confusion. Everyone would question everything and life would become very hectic. Just as it does in the final scenes of Macbeth-when he dies.