Macbeth Scene Analysis
Act 4 Scene 2
Analysis
This version of the play was acted out by the Seoul Shakespeare Company. The actor portraying Ross sounded "off" and his performance was not really memorable. One heard what he said, but the words did not stick with them. The actor playing the son did a fantastic job executing the wit of the boy. The actress that played Lady MacDuff was softer and less aggressive when she talked of her husband and instead of running she stayed and died with her son. Also instead seeing the messenger, it seems as if a recording played and someone stood in the background. The only change I would make to this would be having the messenger actually walk on stage and speak. However, the relationship between the mother and son and how they carried out their roles were excellent.
Macbeth Act IV Scene 2 (The murder of Lady Macduff and child), Seoul Shakespeare Company
This version of the play was acted out by the Actors Theatre of Columbus. The actor that played the son was older than I thought him to be and he did a poor job executing the wit of his character. He did not bring his lines to life, it seems as if he just memorized them. The director also chose to leave out one of the best scenes of the play, when the son shouts "He has kill'd me mother". I do however like that they showed Lady MacDuff dying instead of heavily implying it as Shakespeare did in the book. If I had directed this I would have strictly stayed with the script and not omit some parts as they did.
Shakespeare's MACBETH / Act 4, Scenes 2 & 3
This was a movie created in 1979 staring Sir Ian McKellen. Unlike the plays, this movie showed signs of other children in the home. Lady MacDuff was more aggressive and condemning than I thought she would be. Oddly the murderers first show signs that they are in the home while the messenger is there. This was also the only example I chose in which the murders have their face covered and the son does not attack them for speaking ill of his father. The death scene of the son was extremely weird. He aggressively bounced him on his lap and then the son said "He has kill'd me mother". I would have changed the boy's death scene because it looked odd and out of place.
Macbeth 4.2 (Royal Shakespeare).mov
Conclusion
Out of all of the examples I chose I think that the play performed by the Seoul Shakespeare Company was the best. Though there were a few discrepancies with the characters Ross and the Messenger, there was nothing particularly odd. The bond between Lady McDuff and her son was best in this play and this play had the best son and death scene, despite it being compared to an actual movie.