Macbeth; Contextual Influences (1 Viewer)

[Acidliner]

Hey guys, I have an essay due about how context has influenced Shakespeare's Macbeth and Polanski's production of the play. I have to explore the historical, cultural and social influences and refer to specific aspects of the play and the production.

I would love you forever if you could give me a few pointers, or some links, sigh.
Macbeth is the bane of my existence.

Okay no not really, but yes.

Thanks guys !

 

[agirlinatutu]

Meet Sparkie www.sparknotes.com

He is your new best friend

 

[Acidliner]

Ah thanks.
Sparknotes is useful, but teachers use Sparknotes way way more than we realise they do !
x

 

[agirlinatutu]

It was my teacher who told us about it.
But its good for getting ideas and concepts if you have no idea.

 

[-tal-]

Hey guys, I have an essay due about how context has influenced Shakespeare's Macbeth and Polanski's production of the play. I have to explore the historical, cultural and social influences and refer to specific aspects of the play and the production.

I would love you forever if you could give me a few pointers, or some links, sigh.
Macbeth is the bane of my existence.

Okay no not really, but yes.

Thanks guys !

Ok, now that I just digged up my old English book.

Historical influences: MacBeth was written during the transfer in monarch between the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods (Jacob was Scottish, hence the use of a Scottish King as a reference to the historical context).

Cultural influences: Fantasy and the fantastical/supernatural are also fairly prominent in the play. In those times, a disruption of heirarchy was supposedly reflected by the environment (ie the weather, a storm meant crap was about to happen). Shakespeare uses the idea of unnatural events taking place to suggest an upheaval in the natural order. To the 16th century audience, this iidea was tangible as it was a common belief that such things corresponded.

Social influences: MacBeth was written during a period in English history where women were subservient to men, hence the heavy allusion to a patriarchal society (eg. look @ the women, Lady MacDuff, Lady Macbeth. They are named after their husbands, they have no identity, etc etc you get my drift, yes? And add appropriate technique + example + effect, which I just gave you). Masculinity, and the relationship between gender and power are key concepts here.

 

[-tal-]

Hey guys, I have an essay due about how context has influenced Shakespeare's Macbeth and Polanski's production of the play. I have to explore the historical, cultural and social influences and refer to specific aspects of the play and the production.

I would love you forever if you could give me a few pointers, or some links, sigh.
Macbeth is the bane of my existence.

Okay no not really, but yes.

Thanks guys !

Thought it'd be easier to separate my post.

Historical context: ahh... doesn't really have that much in Polanski does it?

Cultural influences: ehehe I seem to have literally 0 notes on Polanski... ahh just remembered. Something about Polanski's wife being killed by some Manson guy. Charlie Manson? Any how, that might have affected the film.

Just remembered something else. Manson's murder of Polanski's wife was part of a hippie, revolutionist (tax my word & I'll kick your ass) movement associated with the rise of socialist politics, post Vietnam War era. Also typical of the time was the heavy rock and gothic stereotypes that emerged, that associated itself with notions of insanity and the macabre. This could correspond with the usage of mirrors as a reflection of the "insanity" of the human psyche. (remembered you might not understand the mirrors part. Pinpoint the part where you see tonnes of mirror images of Banquo on a throne with a crown on his head, and it keeps turning or something. The part where MacBeth meets the witches @ some party gathering)

Social influences: (aha! At least I found something) Polanski's Macbeth was produced shortly after the end of the Vietnam War. Consider the level of violence of the film, (and especially the scene of MacBeth's head being chopped off) it was considered to be within the extremities of violence at the time when it was produced. However when you look at the beheading more closely, it is relatively pacifist as it depicts such an easy struggle for victory (ie making a mockery of "war"). In a way, Polanski is making a political statement with his film (even if you think otherwise, twist the truth & back it up - the foundations of English).

Love me forever now don't ya?