Movie Review on 32 Second Macbeth
The 32-second Macbeth", a condensed version of the play Macbeth by the Folger Shakespeare Library, is twenty one quotes of some of the most important quotes in Macbeth. Although many of these quotes are necessary to understand parts within Macbeth and to convey important elements of the play, many of these quotes are unnecessary in my eyes, and some things that I feel are extremely important to the story have been left out altogether! To me, in order to get a better feel for the story of Macbeth, some of the twenty quotes many need to be kept, some need to be removed, and then replaced by another, more important quote.
A majority of the quotes stated in the "32-Second Macbeth" are extremely important to play, and should be kept a part of the twenty one quotes. Quote 1, I feel, is important because it is one of the major themes of the play. The witches state this quote in the very beginning of the play, which first of all gives and eerie, menacing tone for the play that is basically kept throughout the play. Also, Quote 1 is important because as I mentioned earlier, it tells a major theme of the play, that not everything is what they seem (exp: Lady Macbeth and Macbeth?s original characters.) The next quote I think is important I Quote 4, spoken by Macbeth, almost saying the same thing the witches said in Quote 1. Although the day weather wise is actually a pleasant day weather wise, it is "foul" because earlier he had fought in a battle and killed a traitor, and although he does not know it, he is about to meet the witches and hear their three prophecies, which lead to almost all of the evil in the play. Quote 5 is another significant quote because it states the most important of the three original prophecies given to Macbeth by the witches. The first prophecy, "Thane of Glamis", is not important because he is already Thane of Glamis, and then the second prophecy, "Thane of Cawdor", is more important but still not needed because one he becomes Thane of Cawdor, that title is not important to Macbeth. But the third of the witches? prophecies, Quote 5, is extremely vital because it can be argued that this is the reason for most of Macbeth?s horrible actions, that this prophecy led him to do things in order to fulfill it. The next important quote is Quote 6, spoken by Macbeth, saying fate will decide whether or not he will become king, which some people may argue (including myself) is the reason behind everything Macbeth does (fate). Quote 7 is another quote I feel should be kept in the "32-Second Macbeth" because it gives you an important first impression of Lady Macbeth. At this point, she has heard of the witches? prophecies, and has come up with the idea of killing Duncan to insure Macbeth?s gaining of the throne. It shows how incredibly evil Lady Macbeth initially was, calling upon spirits to "make her a man" to help her kill the king Duncan. This is important also because it once again refers to Quote 1, that not all things are what they seem. Even though Lady Macbeth is a woman, she is the exact opposite of what a woman in her time would be like and she is extremely masculine. The next quote, Quote 9, is also spoken by Lady Macbeth, and is once again showing her manliness, having to basically push Macbeth into killing Duncan. I feel Quote 12 is the next most significant quote. It is spoken by Banquo, when he is being killed by the three murderers hired by Macbeth to kill him and his son Fleance. I think it is essential that this quote is kept because it is the beginning of Macbeth?s insanity for power. Also, it tells you that Banquo dies, but not his son Fleance, which gives one of the witches? prophecies for Banquo (that his sons will become king) a chance to be fulfilled. Quote 13 is another needed quote because it shows the beginning of change for Macbeth, and a small theme in the play. Lady Macbeth is telling Macbeth to calm down, and to forget about everything and just enjoy the fact that he is king, showing she is becoming more feminine where as Macbeth is the opposite, becoming more masculine and saying he must do all this. And like I said, this is small theme in the play that all these horrible things just lead to more horrible things, that it is just a vicious cycle. Finally, I think the last four quotes in the original "32-Second Macbeth" are also important and should be kept. Quote 18, said by Macbeth, is comparing life to a candle, brief and almost unimportant, after Lady Macbeth has killed herself. Quote 19 is spoken by Macduff to Macbeth in their final fight, urging him to fight him even though Macbeth knows he will lose because of the witches? apparitions, and then Macbeth responds with Quote 20, showing the old Macbeth, someone brave and fighting squarely. And then the final quote, Quote 21, is important because it shows that the king is now Malcolm, and that all the evil Macbeth did is not over.
Although a majority of the quotes in the "32-Second Macbeth" are beneficial quotes to understand Macbeth and express elements of the play, many are also not needed. First of all, Quotes 2 and 3 are not needed because I don?t think the reader needs to know of the "bloody man" that Duncan speaks of in Quote 2 and I think that a better quote could be found then Quote 3 that talks about the witches and Macbeth?s first encounter. Quote 8 is also an unnecessary quote to me because I think that first of all, a better quote can be fund to talk about Macbeth?s thoughts before the murder of Duncan and also, I don?t think it conveys Macbeth?s true feelings about him and Lady Macbeth?s plan to kill Duncan. Another unneeded quote is Quote 10, because I think it does not give a clear picture of what is going on in Macbeth?s mind at the time, and I don?t think the reader would understand this quote without physically seeing it done by an actor. Quote 11 can also be removed in my opinion because it only shows Lady Macbeth?s thoughts after the murder of Duncan, even thought it wasn?t even her who killed Duncan! To me, I think the author of this condensed version of the play should put in a quote spoken by Macbeth after the murder, since he is actually the one who goes through with the murder. Quote 14 is the next quote I think can be removed because even though it is an extremely well known quote in Macbeth, sued in many other stories, I don?t think it is an important excerpt from the witches in that scene. The next two quotes, Quote 15 and 16, in my opinion, can be removed because I think if someone was to read this 32-second Macbeth, they would not understand what was going on during those quotes or their importance in the play. And finally, the last quote I feel can be removed is Quote 17, which is spoken by Lady Macbeth. Even though she speaks while she was sleeping and it shows the change she has undergone from being the masculine character to the feminine one, unable to bear all the things her and Macbeth have done, I think another quote could replace it the more adequately shows her insanity and change.
Lastly, in order to keep the "32-Second Macbeth" lose to 32 seconds and more importantly, to show key parts in the play or to replace parts I took out, there are many quotes that should be added. After Quote 1, I think the quote spoken by Duncan, "What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won" should be put in because it tells the reader that Macbeth has gained the title of Thane of Cawdor, and that at one point Macbeth was a good guy. Next, after Quote 5, I think that this quote, "Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none", should be put in. I feel this quote is important because in the original "32-Second Macbeth", it mentions the prophecies given to Macbeth by the witches, but it does not talk about any of the prophecies that Banquo received. Also, I think this quote is important because it gives insight into the reason as to why Macbeth tries to kill Banquo and his son Fleance later in the play. The, after Quote 7, I think an important quote that should be added is, "This castle hath a pleasant seat", said by Duncan. I feel this is a vital quote to add because it refers back to Quote 1 and irony to the play, because as an audience we know that in going to the castle, Duncan is going to be killed. Even thought it may seem like a pleasant and a safe place, we know as an audience it is actually not. Next, I have picked a quote to replace Quote 8 of the original "32-Second Macbeth", that I think better shows Macbeth?s thoughts before the murder of Duncan, and how he does not want to kill him at all and is having second thoughts: "He?s here in double trust". I think this quote is also good to replace Quote 8 because it fits better with Quote 9, where Lady Macbeth is encouraging Macbeth to murder Duncan, than the original Quote 8 did I think. Another quote I would like to replace would be Quote 10, showing that Duncan has been killed. I chose to substitute that quote with this one, "?Macbeth does murder sleep!?", spoken by Macbeth after hearing it said by someone in the castle in their sleep. I think this quote is a better quote than the initial Quote 10 because is not only tells the reader that Duncan has indeed been murdered, but also the state Macbeth is in after the murder (Macbeth is almost hysterical, and heard "voices" saying that he is a murderer in other?s sleep). I also think Quote 11 should be replaced to better show Lady Macbeth?s reaction after the murder of Duncan. The quote I chose to replace it is spoken by Lady Macbeth after she must put the daggers back in the guard?s possession to frame them because Macbeth forgot to: "I shame to wear a heart so white". Finally, I think Quotes 14-17 should be replaced from the original "32-Second Macbeth" because I do not feel they sufficiently get across what is going on during those parts in the play. Instead of Quote 14, I think the actual three apparitions should be put there, "Beware Macduff!?Laugh to scorn the power of man!?Great Birnam Wood to High Dunsiane Hall shall come against him!", because not only does Macbeth become obsessed with these prophecies throughout the rest of the play, but also because they tell how Macduff was able to murder Macbeth, even thought Macbeth thought was basically invincible (they were equivocal statements). Quote 15 can then be replaced by a quote spoken by a messenger to Macduff?s family, basically telling them that they will be murdered soon if they do not leave (which I think is easier to understand than Quote 15): "Be not found here; hence, with your little ones". The next quote I want to replace, Quote 16, is referring to Macduff and Malcolm?s encounter, and talking about their land of Scotland and what Macbeth has done to it. In my opinion, the author of the "32-Second Macbeth" focused on the wrong part of this scene. To me, it is more important that Macduff and Malcolm have deiced to form an alliance and kill Macbeth, "Malcolm: Let?s make us medicines of our great revenge, to cure this deadly grief", than the fact that they are upset at Macbeth. Lastly, I think that Quote 17 also does not give an excellent picture of Lady Macbeth at the end of the play. To me, it does not show that Lady Macbeth is in fact going insane and that is the reason for killing herself. I chose to replace Quote 17 with a quote spoken by the doctor, describing Lady Macbeth in the end, "Unnatural deeds to breed unnatural troubles", because it states Lady Macbeth is in fact going insane, why she is going insane, and the reason for killing herself.
The "32-Second Macbeth" is all in all a superb resource for looking at the most important elements of the play Macbeth in about 32 seconds. Although some quotes do need to be removed, replaced, or added, it is a great piece and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
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