Gc Women University, Sialkot

Assignment no:1
Roll no:12
Submitted to:Ma’am Safoora Batool
Submitted by:Fareeha Munawar
Semester:7th
Department:English
Course Title:20th Century Literature 1
Topic:Difference between the Macbeth
play and movie.
Q;Write down the differences between the MACBETH
play and movie.
 Short Summary of the play:
At the beginning of the play,Macbeth ia a
brave and loyal Thane to king Duncan.After hearing a prophesy that he
will become king himself, Macbeth is overcome by ambition and
greed..Bolstered by the prophecy and his wife’s encouragement,he kills
king Duncan and takes the throne.Afterwards,Macbeth’s guilt,fear,and
paranoia lead him to commit even more murders to secure his power.His
confidence in the prophecies eventually leads to his downfall and he is
overthrown and killed by those he has wronged.
 Differences between Macbeth play and movie:
The play Macbeth has many differences from the movie.The
movie made interpretations in the play to suit his style and to adjust its
genre.These differences are changing the story of the play to some
extent.These are described bellow.
First of all, the beginning of the movie is completely
different.The movie starts with King Duncan’s dialogues with other
characters.But in the play three witches appear before any other character
and they speak their famous lines “Fair is foul,and foul is fair”.So the
first difference is that of beginning.
The setting of the play is different from the setting of the movie.In
the play, Macbeth’s character appears in the forest and the witches meet
him in the forest.But in the movie Macbeth is depicted in the battle field
where he and Banque meet witches.Moreover,in the play witches are
presented in a forest but in the movie witches live between human
beings.
The time period of the play and movie is different.There are
certain things in the movie which do not suit the era of Shakespeare.For
example there is a character in the movie who wears glasses.And in the
era of Shakespeare no one could even think of that.
The movie invents new characters that are not found in the
play.For example witches’ children.In the play witches do not suppose to
have children but in the movie they have.Macbeth in the play asks
witches that ‘speak if you can’ but in the movie Macbeth asks this
dialogue to the witches children.
The play is divided into scenes but the movie is
presented smoothly where all the acts are smoothly connected to one
another.
 In the play there is no interference of music but in the movie
music plays a crucial part.It creates the mood of the movie and depicts
which type of character is presented and many other things.
In the play, the expressions of the other characters are
not described in detailed when a character is speaking but in the movie
the expression of other characters are depicted more clearly.
In the play Hecate’s character is shown with witches but in the
movie there is no character of Hecate.In the play Hecate character is
shown when she talks with witches.
In the play Macbeth does not become too amphibious
to get power because of the proficiency only that witches make rather it
was also lady Macbeth’s character that forces him to act according to his
wishes.But in the movie, Macbeth’s ambitiousness is depicted clearly
without Lady Macbeth’s influence.Which shows the protagonist
difference of the play and the movie.
In the play Lady Macbeth character is influential one.Because
Macbeth enacts according to her wishes.She is depicted powerful in the
play.But in the movie Macbeth is presented as having a powerful
character who acts according to his own desires.
In the play apparitions are describes as the armed
head,bloody child,a boy with a crown in his head,and the lines of Banquo
and king.But in the movie, the lines of Banquo and king remains same
while others are changed and depicted through three witches.
In the play the character of Ross only hears about his family
murder but in the movie he witnesses this action.The movie changes an
action of the play.
Last difference is that in the play it is said that Macbeth sent
someone to kill Macduffs family.But in the play, Macbeth appears in the
Macduff’s family murder scene.