Staging Shakespeare is a challenging prospect for any theatre group and Stage Sculptors, the theatre wing of the Department of English of the Thiagarajar College, were up to the mark bringing to fore different facets of the central characters of the play Macbeth .
Without the complications of subplot, Macbeth is the shortest of Shakespeare’s great tragedies. Unlike Othello , where the hero commits the crime only after long plotting, here Macbeth commits regicide first and as a result faces various consequences arising out of the crime. The attention is more on Lady Macbeth who influences her husband to murder the King. The play explores the psychological effects of the crime.
Macbeth is introduced as a great warrior and a loyal general to the King of Scotland. His mind is corrupted by the prophecy of the witches and when he communicates this to Lady Macbeth the plot to murder the king takes shape. Director L.M. Joseph Paul Bezaleel has cleverly used apple as an important imagery to symbolically present the evil intentions of Lady Macbeth. “In the story of Adam and Eve, it is Eve, who tastes the apple first and Adam tastes next. Here too, Lady Macbeth bites the apple first. Macbeth’s love for his wife is such that he acts according to her evil designs and that leads him to his fall,” says the director.
The hamartia in this play is Macbeth’s lust for power well accentuated by Lady Macbeth. Both the characters begin in high positions and, throughout the play, accumulate losses caused by their own weaknesses in personality. “Macbeth is not villainous in character. No doubt he is an ambitious man overpowered by his aspirations. Despite his heinous crime, Macbeth does not arouse the displeasure of the audience. His agonising reflections only show him as a person losing control over his moral destiny,” says Bezaleel.
The witches are just a symbol of the ambition that is already within Macbeth. Though Lady Macbeth taunts him by telling that he will only be a man if he kills Duncan, she cannot be entirely blamed. Interestingly, immediately after the scene where Lady Macbeth goads him, violence follows. Despite her goading she is portrayed as a good wife, encouraging her husband to do what she believed to be in his best interests. The director has explored the untold and unconditional love Lady Macbeth has for her husband. “She is just a catalyst and Macbeth also never tries to blame her for the turn of events,” he says.
Lady Macbeth is portrayed as a strong character as she demonstrates greater courage at the time of crime but finally it is she who falls victim to remorse and dies of guilt, whereas Macbeth, who starts apprehensively, grows in stature. To protect himself and consolidate his position, he kills Banquo, exterminates Macduff’s family and attempts to murder Fleance. His freedom wanes out as his crimes increase. Finally, when Macbeth dies at the hands of Macduff, he seems to be released from the clutches of his own evil deeds.
With impressive backdrops and neat performances of the central characters, the 90-minute play had the audience glued to the seats. Arun of I B.A. English (Self financing) was brilliant as Macbeth. His body language well portrayed the psychological struggles of the character. Lathiga, III B.A. English as Lady Macbeth did her role to satisfaction. Murshidha (III B.A.), Almazz (II B.A.) and Swetha (I B.A.) as witches were outstanding.
