Macbeth PBS REVIEW

Macbeth PBS Movie Critical Review Analysis

The movie Macbeth starring Sir Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood is a spectacular modern version of the movie Macbeth by William Shakespeare. The version of the movie is not stage filmed which makes it very unique when presenting the visual effects, sounds, and lighting that the producer  Rupert Goold used to enhance the dramatic sequences in the play . The visual effects of the movie add more life, making each scene more vivid.

Sir Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood do a terrific job acting as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The costumes that are worn by the characters are very well suited for each character in the movie, they are not over dramatized they are just perfect for each character. The costumes used demonstrate the social class of the characters of that era. These two actors seem perfect for each other, Sir Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood, deploy very powerful facial expressions making the relationship between them seem so realistic and passionate. Lady Macbeth’s makeup in the movie makes her seem like a very mature, cruel, cold and chilling, women like the one she is supposed to be since the spirits unsex her to make her seem more like a man with a cruel character.

The visual effects shown in this movie are fantastic.  The best visual effects are shown in the murder scenes caused by the three weird sisters (the witches) who, in this version are depicted as nurses. The blood seems very realistic in the movie, making the viewer feel a chill when viewing the bloody scenes, which is very impressive aspect of the visual effects. This movie can cause the viewer nightmares since the blood is very shocking and realistic. The sounds produced in the movie are fabulous. The producers use technology to change the voices of the nurses to make them sound bone chilling and cruel, which is a very dramatic effect that is part of the movie. These voices make the nurses seem quite terrifying adding to the dramatic effect that Shakespeare intended.

The dramatic lighting of each scene fits perfectly to each setting. One of the best examples of this is at the beginning of the play when the nurses (the witches) murder a soldier. The lights of the room start flickering in a very dramatic way making the  visualization perfect for the scene.

The movie Macbeth is movie that will take your breath away, and it is a movie that is worth watching no matter what. Macbeth is one of the best modern film there is that interprets the play as it should be.

The chorus

Luis Vargas

Ms. Peifer
English 10 IB
February 10-2012

    In the play Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe  their is a important role for the chorus. The chorus in Greek plays were usually provided background information for the viewers or reader in a play. In Greek plays the chorus mostly sang, while singing the chorus usually over reacted and over spoke about information that needed to distributed to the viewer.    The chorus has the role to comment on the theme that is happening during the play  and to provide and establish the plot or  background information.The function of the chorus is Doctor Faustus is to say what the major characters cant say.
    In the begging of Doctor Faustus, Doctor Faustus is being described by the chorus. “ He surfeits upon cursed necromancy. Nothing so sweet as magic is to him Which he prefers before his chiefest bliss- And this is the man that in his study sits” (Marlowe1.1.24-260). Describing Doctor Faustus at the begging of the play is a good example of the role of the chorus; by providing background information for the reader. When Marlowe uses the chorus is demonstrates that the sate of Marlowe’s dramatic skill to write poems within the chorus.
     Today modern movie producers  use flashbacks  to provide the same information. Flashbacks are more easy to understand in modern movies instead of using a chorus. A flashback in a movie can distribute information that he or she does not know. Using a chorus in common day movies would effect how the viewer perspective view. Many people would not accept the idea of using the chorus in common day movies, it would have a dramatic affect.

Knowledge

Luis Vargas
Ms.Peifer
English 10 IB
February 12-2011

    In the play Doctor Faustus   by Christopher Marlowe knowledge is the most important thing for Doctor Faustus. Doctor Faustus wants to more then he already does. Doctor Faustus  believes that he that will gain more knowledge through dark magic. Knowledge is the ability to learn something through the experience of life. Knowledge comes from the experience of doing things. The knowledge someone gain may be used  for variety of things; it could be used for good and evil. Doctor Faustus first intended to use his knowledge for good, but through out the book he used it for unnecessary  things. A example of a unnecessary thing Faustus did with his knowledge is when he tricked the Horse courser that he had pulled off Faustus’s leg “ O help help! The villain hath murdered me!”( Marlowe 4.5.43.). In this line we see that Faustus had used his knowledge of dark magic to trick the horse courser
     Knowledge is something that is out their to waiting to be found by someone, but the only way to obtain it is by creating it ourself. Doctor Faustus knew that their was more knowledge out their that could obtained, but the only way to obtain , a good comparison to this is the way that  money is obtained. Their is plenty of money out their but the only way to obtain it is by working hard. Doctor Faustus did this at first but then he wanted to obtain more knowledge by using dark magic; this could be the same as robbing a bank to obtain money which is against the law.
    The curiosity to learn something new establishes and motivates  research in a person. The ethical questions arise when a person has mastered everything and their curiosity awakes the ethical question.  Faustus had already mastered everything but his curiosity was the one the made the ethical question arise. He can see the ethical question arises when he is questioning himself when saying “ The end of physic is our body’s health. Why Faustus hast thou not attained that end? Are not thy bills hung up as monuments whereby whole cities have escaped the plague And thousand desperate maladies been cured?” ( Marlowe 1.1.16-20).
     The dark magic Faustus uses in the book can connect to the issues like splitting atoms to genetic cloning since it is curiosity and  knowledge mixed together. People may used the genetic cloning for good reasoning  other may used it for evil, which is the same as using the powers of dark  magic. This is the relationship between them.

The victim who sold his soul

Luis Vargas

Ms.Peifer

English 10 IB

February 3 2011

                                    Is Faustus a villain or victim?

            In the play Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus wants to know everything he can in the universe. He decides to sell his soul to the devil to gain all the knowledge that is possible in the universe.

            Doctor Faustus believes that he will actually learn everything through the dark magic’s but he becomes a victim of his own decision. Dr. Faustus becomes a victim because since he actually never accomplishes or learns mores then he already does.  Doctor Faustus sells his soul to the devil just to learn more about the beyond. He becomes a victim since the devil does not answer his questions at all. When Doctor Faustus tried to ask questions that have been unanswered, he gets a response that he could of gotten if he  just read his scriptures like the good angel told him mentioned, “O Faustus, lay the damned book aside And gaze not on it lest it tempt they soul And heap God’s heavy wrath upon thy head! Read, read the scripture that is blasphemy” (Marlowe 1.1.6.67-70). The good angel had warned him that it was better to read the scriptures then to sell his soul to the devil, the good angel knew he would become another victim of those who sell their soul to the devil. When doctor Faustus realizes that he is not gaining  more knowledge then he already he has he feels as if he had been robbed since he sold his soul to the devil. This can be proves that he has become a victim of his own decision when Faustus says “O thou bewitching fiend,’ twas thy temptation Hath robbed me of eternal happiness (Marlowe 5.2.78.95-99). This quote explains how doctor Faustus feels robbed and he has become another victim of those who sell their soul to the devil to obtain power, but do not accomplished more than what is  had accomplished. Faustus only lost his lost soul and the glory of heaven when he sold his soul to the devil.

The Inferno

Luis Vargas

Ms.Piefer

English 10 IB

1/23/2012

                                                The Inferno commentary

Through me the way is to the city dolente; / Through me the way is to eternal dole;/Through me the way among the people lost./ Justice incited my sublime Creator;/ Created me divine Omnipotence, / The highest Wisdom and the primal Love. / Before me there were no created things, / Only eternal last. All hope abandon, ye who enter in!”/ These word sin somber color I beheld/ Written upon the summit of a gate; / whence I : “Their sense is, Master, hard to me!”/ And he to me, as one experienced: /  “Here all suspicion needs must be abandoned, /All cowardice must needs to be here extinct./ We to the place have come, where I have told thee/ Thou shalt behold the people dolorous/ Who have foregone the good intellect.”/ And after he had laid his hand on mine/ with joyful mien, whence I comforted.” (The inferno Canto III 1-20)

            In Canto III 1-20 of The Inferno by Dante Alighieri, many literary devices are used to prove the power of hell after entering it. By using symbolism, repetition, and imagery, we can view the power of hell and the cruelty of it. The author does a spectacular job by using these literary devices to make the reader understand how powerful and cruel hell is for those who enter it.
            These lines were written on the gate on the entrance of hell. The symbolism in these lines is used to represent the voice of hell through the gate. The words written on the entrance of hell act as a symbol that represent the voice of hell. It helps hell describe its self through the gate as if it could talk and this gives the gate personification. When the author used the words, “Through me” (Canto III 1-2), he makes the reader understand that the gate is talking. But the gate is not describing itself; it’s describing what there is after a person passing it. This symbolizes hells voice so hell can clearly describe its self.

The imagery in this passage is primarily used to help the reader visualize  hell and its magnificent power. By using imagery, we can see how powerful and cold hearted hell is when it says, “Justice incited my sublime Creator created me divine Omnipotence” (The inferno Canto III 4-5). If God is omnipotent, it clearly states that God can do the impossible, as hell is described. Hell is described as omnipotent so the reader can imagine how big its power is and the extent to which the power of hell can go to.The imagery set a great image of the omnipotence of hell which set an image to the to show that hell could do anything since it has the ability through its power.  Through the use of imagery, this helps show that hell all powerful .

The repetition used in this context supports the dominant affect of power by constantly repeating what happens after someone enters hell. For example, the lines, “All hope abandon, ye who enter in” (Canto III 11-12), “Through me the way among the people lost” (Canto III 3-4), “Through me the way is to eternal dole” (Canto III 2-30),  are constantly repeating the cruelty of hell. If all hope is abandoned after entering hell, it significantly means that hell is cruel and that there is no hope since hell is way more powerful than anyone who enter it. Another example of hell’s cruelty is when hell says, “Through me the way among the people lost.”  If people are lost after entering hell that means that hell is cold hearted, bone chilling, and that it does not let anyone leave after they entered it. This reinforces the overall message of hell’s power and cruelty. The author uses constant repetition to remind the reader of the power of hell throughout this passage.

The passage was a good example to choose  since it contains symbolism, repetition, and imagery, which helps the author communicate to the reader  about hell’s power. Symbolism was a used use to represent hell’s bloodcurdling voice, which helped its express itself and its power. The imagery shows the omnipotence and the ability to do anything since it had that ability through its power.  The details the author uses in the imagery section is important to demonstrate that hell could do the impossible.

Commentary

Luis Vargas

Ms.Piefer

English 10 IB

12/1/2011

I am Hrothgar’s herald and officer. / I have never seen so impressive or large/ assembly of strangers stoutness of heart,/ bravery not banishment, must have brought you Hrothgar.”/The man whose name was known for courage,/ the Great leader, resolute in his helmet,/answer in return: “resolute in his helmet, /answer in return: “ We are retainers from/ Hygelac’s band. Beowulf is my name./ If your lord and master, the most renowned/ son of Halfdabe, will hear me out/ and  graciously allow me to greet him in person,/ I am ready and willing to report my errand.”/ Wulfgar replied, a Wendell chief renowned as a warrior , well known for his wisdom/ and the temper of his mind: “ I will take thi message,/ in accordance with your wish, to noble king,/ our dear, friend of the Danes,/ the giver of rings. I will go and ask him/ about your coming here then hurry back/ with whatever reply it please him to give.”(Beowulf 336- 355)

            In Beowulf the unknown author uses many fascinating literary devices to emphasize each of the characters, personalities in the book. The author makes Beowulf seem like a strong warrior which is the dominant effect of the story. The author uses connotation, alliteration and diction to create the visual effects of the character; which makes the appreciation of the use of language sound more enthusiastic. The author makes the characters seem alive and realistic throughout the story; which creates the strong of warrior.

            The author uses diction and connotation to choose certain words for each character which helps to create the overall impression of him. For example the author chooses the words “Courage”, “Resolute,” “Willing”, “Wisdom,” “Well known,” and “I am ready” to demonstrate the dominant effect of the warrior Beowulf. He uses those words to express the visual effect by making the character seem like a wise, willing, resolute, well known and ready warrior. If the author didn’t use diction to describe character, the reader might have not understood the quality of the warrior Beowulf.

The author also tends to use many alliteration phrases throughout the story. For example he uses “Stranger stoutness”, “Bravery no banishments must have brought” and “Coming here then hurry up.” The unknown author tends to use alliteration in many phrases because it helps many of the sentences flow easier and it draws more attention to the verbs and adjectives that are said in the sentence. The alliteration used in Beowulf creates an effect that is pleasing to the reader’s ear. The repetition of the constant sound pleases the reader and makes him understand more when the author constantly repeats the sounds. For example, when the author uses “Bravery not banishment must have brought you to Hrothgar” the reader creates a connection with the dominant effect which is a strong warrior; with this the author makes the reader understand that the warrior is strong by using the repetition of constant words. This makes the reader remember that the character is a very strong warrior when using the same constant sounds.

            The overall dominant affect of a warrior is created through the excellent literary devices the author uses to write Beowulf. These devices affect the whole story and create the dominant effect of a strong warrior by using alliteration, connotation, and diction to create the overall impression.

Is Antigone actually Innocent or is she Guilty?

Antigone is not guilty of treason because she was following the spiritual laws which were burying her brother with honor; which is more important than breaking a major king’s law. Fallowing the spiritual laws is more important because it's Gods proclamation that the final justice rules the world rather than Creons words proclaimed justice. God’s words proclaim  that every human should have a proper burial while Creon denies the burial of Antigones brother. Creons opinions should be heard but not all should be taken as laws “A king's prerogatives, and not the least that all his acts and all his words are law”(Sophocles 497-506).    
Creons way of thinking is just an opinion compared to a spiritual law where it is a law. Antigone believes that “It was not God’s Proclamation that final justice that rules the world below makes such laws they are not merely now: they were and shall be operative forever beyond mean utterly” (Sophocles 70).  In that quote Antigone states that she would rather listen to God’s laws rather then Creons laws; because she would rather be judge by gods than being judge by people. She will be viewed as an innocent human being in god’s eyes while Creon will be viewed as a guilty person for not following spiritual laws.         

Antigone should be viewed as innocent because she was just following the spiritual laws rather the opinion of Creon. Creon should be viewed as the guilty because he made her “break the law” and he did not accept her beliefs. Many tragedies occur to Creon for punishing Antigone. If Creon had never viewed Antigone as guilty man tragedies would not of happen to him so there for she is innocent.