It’s not like Macbeth is the only supernatural play. The Tempest’s magic. Midsummer’s fairies. The Winter’s Tale and whatever it is that happens at the end. And, of course, ghosts in Hamlet, Julius Caesar, and Richard III (am I leaving some out?).
But how do you stage the ghost of Banquo?
In the final speech in Macbeth, Malcolm proclaims the Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, “this dead butcher and his fiendlike queen” (V.viii.69). We know that those who win get to tell history (Or as in Hamilton, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.”). According to our ol’ friend the Oxford English Dictionary, a butcher is “One who slaughters men indiscriminately or brutally; a ‘man of blood’; a brutal murderer” (“butcher, n.; 1.a.” Oxford English Dictionary Online. Oxford University Press, June 2016. Web. 30 June 2016.).
But is that really an apt description of the man we meet in the play?
A couple of weeks ago, I introduced the way we’re going to review videos of Macbeth: a March Madness-style bracket with the fifteen immediately accessible versions. And today we have our fourth first-round Bard battle:
Continue reading “Macbeth Movie Madness: Millson v. Connery”
A couple of weeks ago, I introduced the way we’re going to review videos of Macbeth: a March Madness-style bracket with the fifteen immediately accessible versions. And today we have our third first-round Bard battle:
Continue reading “Macbeth Movie Madness: Sacks v. Williamson”
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[WARNING: The the first portion of the following podcast contains (a little) adult language, (some) sexual imagery, and (not too much) stuff to make you say, “Man, that’s (not really) a dirty play.” You HAVE been (kinda) warned. SKIP TO THE 10:10 MARK IF (super) EASILY OFFENDED.]
This week’s podcast continues our two month-long discussion of Macbeth with a quick look at bawdy in the play (there’s not much), then a longer look at two major speeches in the play (“Tomorrow” and [not at all ironically] “Unsex me here”).
Continue reading “Podcast 131: Macbeth: Bawdy, plus Tomorrow, Unsex Me”
Yesterday, I took a look at the “Tomorrow” speech in Macbeth which follows the news of Lady Macbeth’s death. Today, let’s take a look at another Lady M-related speech, this one from the opposite end of the play.
Last week, I introduced the way we’re going to review videos of Macbeth: a March Madness-style bracket with the fifteen immediately accessible versions. And today we have our second first-round Bard battle:
Continue reading “Macbeth Movie Madness: Pertwee v. Branagh”
There are a handful of speeches in Macbeth that I want to hit before our time together comes to a close (I know, we’ve got a month to go, but for some reason today*–as I write this–I feel like there simply will not be enough time). And since there’s no day like today to begin, let’s begin with “tomorrow”…
Last week, I introduced the way we’re going to review videos of Macbeth: a March Madness-style bracket with the fifteen immediately accessible versions. And today we have our first Bard battle:
Remember a few days back when discussing the more witchy sources for Macbeth (this after discussing Holinshed’s contributions to the more human side of the story), and how I said there was one more text that might be considered an influence if not a source? And I said I’d discuss that later when I hit the Porter scene?
Well, today, I’m a-hittin’ it…
