The way Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are presented

The beginning of Act II scene II starts with the awaiting of Lady Macbeth for Macbeth to return from the
murder of Duncan. She has been filled with dutch courage, adrenaline and anxiety from an alcoholic
beverage, she states
'That hath made them drunk, hath made
me bold'
This is a clear indicator of Lady Macbeths unfeminine character using the adjective 'bold' and portrays her as
an unstereotypical medieval wife becoming drunk. Moreover, using the words 'made them drunk hath made
me bold' is a representation of how she conceives herself of being more competent to be 'bold' from alcohol
rather than 'quenched' which is contrary to the guards. This is antagonistic to 'had he not resembled my father
as he slept, I had done't myself.' This is the start of a cycle of self contradictories showing the beginning of
her insanity but synchronously presents the underlying possibility that Lady Macbeth does have a conscious
despite the fact she is devoid of this has greatly influenced and partook in murder.

Although in the play she is shown as mannified, hoydenish but in the Akira Kurosawa's throne of blood
Lady Macbeth is displayed as restraint and fallaciously feminine with dainty steps and a hushed voice, but
has an abundance of similarity in appearance to the witch in one of the previous scenes, not unlike the witch
she is placing thoughts of sinful deeds into Macbeth's mind which further shows her as another outside force
encouraging him to be corrupt. In Polanski's version, she is presented as innocently and angelic but
simultaneously tense and hyper vigilant whilst awaiting Macbeth supported by the dripping of the water
effect added noticeable to the scene and the
[owl hooting]
also a stage direction in the play, the owl is a symbolism of unnaturalness displaying the fact that killing is
unnatural and that she is, in addition to Macbeth is a participator in 'the act.' In Polanski's version the hooting
of the owl contrasts to Lady Macbeths indistinct whispering, the high pitched tone of the hoot creates an
unearthly impression on the audience.
Furtherance to this, a close up shot seen in both Kurosawa's and Polanski's versions of Macbeth handing the
bloodied murder weapon to Lady Macbeth, staining both their hand with the blood of an innocent one, both
Lady Macbeths' then wash their hands, Kurosawa's Lady Macbeth washes only her hands only, the first sign
of the separation, but in Polanski's version she is seen to be washing the blood of her and Macbeth's hands
showing her controlling nature and his incapable demeanour, -showing that he already has changed conduct
and behaviour suggesting he will not be able to remain as he was and conterminously deteriorate, another
possibility is that he never was to be able properly accommodate himself into the reality of killing Duncan as
in his soliloquy he subconsciously uses euphemistic articulation or is indirect voicing words like
'assassination, 'this deed,' or 'my intent.'

In both the play and Polanski's version Lady Macbeth naively and almost incredulously says
'a little water clears us of this deed' This is extremely significant as the crux of this is that they can never be
cleared of this sin, and that water is baptismal and a holy substance and that by washing their hands in this
they have tainted the water red converting something sacred and heavenly into something beelzebub related
and corrupt, corrupting oneself, nature and gods appointed king and that
'the deep damnation of his taking-off' will create and cycle of damnation and ambiguous Apocalyptic
imagery. Shakespeare uses 'deep' which is ambiguous, possible referring to an unfathomable amount of
everlasting condemnation in a literal sense of purgatory or in a mental infliction brought on from ones self;
This is affirmation that rather than apprehensive of experiencing guilt or murdering he has worries of the
consequences for himself. The dripping water in the background of Polanski's version whilst Lady Macbeth
is waiting symbolizes the hyper vigilance of Lady Macbeth but also is symbolic of the fact that water is
cleanses and holy, and is a constant reminder of this unholy deed.

This is contrasting to Lady Macbeth who is seen to be an external evil metaphorically polluting Macbeth
with destructive ability and in Throne of blood murder scene she holds a conversation with Macbeth but is
not in view of the camera, making her known as an outside force proposing ideas in his mind, but she is
altruistic in the fact that Macbeth gains more from the situation, but she – subconsciously weak, provokes
and goads at Macbeth masculinity into achieving the 'Golden round.'
'My hands are of your colour but I shame
To wear a heart so white'
Stating that her hands are also stained but she is not pusillanimous which is greatly offence, as Macbeth is
seen to be the great ' Thane of Cawdor' and that Lady Macbeths constant manipulation before and during
the murder scene has weakened his capability. But In Polanski Macbeth is show to to over kill Duncan
aggressively with much exuberance and with clashing music to symbolise the tension, and claustrophobic
camera shots to represent possibly either or both Duncan and Macbeths feelings of being trapped for Duncan
physically and Macbeth mentally .This the start of the alteration of Macbeth from his posture to his mind set
of killing meaninglessly, and as if murdering Duncan has released him from Lady Macbeth and the overkill
was just the secretion of inner rage aimed at Lady Macbeth. The murder of Duncan, the evil 'assassination'
has began a division between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and a role reversal. In the Polanski's version,
persona alteration for Lady Macbeth is shown as her pacing back and forwards disorientate whilst the
camera follows her; she also slips in and out of talking and thinking – these both are suggestive of her mind
being converted into deranged. Macbeth avoids eye contact, recoils away from her, only looking at her for
the first time with wide, incredulous eyes at disgust of her unfeminine words. Lady Macbeth conducted
herself towards him as if he was a child, beckoning and coaxing him which relates back to her control over
him. This hints of Lady Macbeth expressing her maternal instincts, even dressed similar to the virgin mary
(although cloaked in a darkened over coat) even though she desires someone to
'Strip me of this motherhood.'
This is highly ironical due to the fact that by the end of the play she has reverted into a childlike figure,
teetering over to Macbeth and in the Kurosawa version receives her comeuppance when her unborn child
dies which is one of the principal points of the play, that evil is self destructive and will cause a cycle of
damnation and give momentum for more evil to follow. Lady Macbeths child dying is a part of her dying,
particularly considering it was still in her womb of the time of passing, similarly to the murdered innocence
of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

Prior to this scene at first thought Macbeth would be seen to be worthy candidate of rueing the murder and
Lady Macbeth in her element, but this becomes unapparent as Macbeth says
'macbeth does murder sleep.' The innocent sleep,' The word 'does' used is present (possibly without
realization) suggests that he has not just murdered Duncan's sleep but has murdered his own, and the murder
of 'innocent' implies that he has annihilated his own innocence, part of himself and is no longer stable. Inn
the BBC version close, claustrophobic close shots are symbolic, showing that he can not and will not be able
to escape from what he has done. He's hands are 'stained.' He now no longer is the past 'great' Macbeth but
weaker and feebler,
'To know my deed', 'twere best not know myself'
In Polanski's version Macbeth prior to cleansing his bloodied hands, looks down at them in shock, unable to
escape his palpability it seems as if he backtracking to the former Macbeth, but cant as now he is an
unnatural object. Also a central shot of the rope hanging in before his face could be representative as the
noose on which his guilty mind and body should be hung.

Banquo In the show is shown to be good, although originally was an opponent of the scottish, the core point
of this was to show a contrast between the Macbeths and him, it is an example of the witches power to whom
affected Macbeth and his fate, the:
[Knock, Knock Knock from within]
Symbolises the tension within the scene shown in The BBC version with three extreme cuts but also possibly
the three witches from within the play presenting that Macbeth is weak to be affected and Banquo is strong
and in the Kurosawa version the witch spins a white piece of sting with a black piece of string, as if taking
the good within Macbeth and turning his destiny evil participially considering an accumulation of
superstitious medieval people would have been present at the time of the play. Another possibility is that his
weak mind became susceptive to the witch and she was influential to his thoughts and he just believed his
fate was decided and encouraged his own fate and his own divisive between him and Lady Macbeth who is
divisive of herself, unable to cope with thinking of her her 'deed put the burdens on her subconscious through
sleepwalking with excessive washing of her hands, In the Polanski version she is nude as it is the seemingly
normal, natural thing to do implying some naturalness left within her although only In her subconscious, also
her womanly components are covered, perhaps to show masculinity or some angelical left. She says:
Even the sweet perfumes or arabia will not sweeten this littles hand,' after excess washing of her hands,
presenting that even the most sweet innocent thing can save her now or take this burden away from her or
Macbeth. Devices her good from evil parts and her consciousness.

Macbeth in the play creates a stigma of himself, in the sense that he has blemished his reputation and created
a blame on himself, I use the word stigma since it first came from greek word with its origins referred to a
kind of tattoo mark that was cut or burned into the skins of criminals. He is shown as a divisive, weak
character who feels the need to stigmatize himself and his actions along with Lady Macbeth who, like wise
did the same but one difference was that Lady Macbeth realized her deed was wrong on the effect is has on
others not just oneself. Macbeth is seen to be a wreck, racked with the witches' portents. Yet, he cannot grasp
the principle of good and evil, and has an inability to see that evil is self destructive, divisive and gives
momentum for more evil in which to come. It isn't that he is 'morally oblivious,' but he is represented as
morally incapable and cannot adhere to good or bad and he is seen to create his own tragic and pathetic
ending.