Macbeth Inspired Arts Essay, Research Paper
Macbeth is a story of a man, whose visions of power grew by the ambitions of murder and treason. Until his thirst for power caused him to lose that very source of his ambition to the blade of Macduff’s sword. It is the ironic and symbolic elements of this play that have caused so many to be inspired in many different forms of the arts. Shakespeare?s ways of creating and destroying a scene with such great detail and imagery, gave life to the open minds of inspiration. Through the words he places in the actors mouth Shakespeare is able to create images in the audiences? minds to changes a place, a season or an atmosphere. Macbeth is a play full of so many diverse human characteristics, it?s easy for anybody to put him or herself there and express within him or herself artistically. Shakespeare gave artists the ability to create parts themselves in a way they never thought possible or never new about. Shakespeare opened up a part in their hearts they didn?t know existed and in a way Shakespeare has created another legacy through art. Different art forms have been created over the years. Many artists in various work fields have been inspired by Shakespeare?s use of vocabulary, imaging and details, Macbeth paved a way for inspired expression and art.
So many wonderful, ironic, and disturbing scenes were created in the imagery of Macbeth, theatre people will never stop staging this Shakespearian play because they will never exhaust the possibilities within his texts. In Shakespeare?s words every thing comes to life. Things are made real through hope, fantasy and imagination paving the way for artistic minds to express their feelings, expectations, or fantasies in ways other than words. Macbeth contains a story so deeply common to the essence of the human condition that it transcends Shakespeare?s age, time and culture. Macbeth is full of the feelings that is within everyone; greed, envy, hates and pride all of which need to be expressed for some artistically. The playwright?s language, often formal in structure and archaic in expression, is so luxuriant in rhythms, in imagery, and in patterns of sound that it allows for a myriad of variations in the way it is spoken. Macbeth is the perfect false reality to recreate in many forms of art. The characters are as complex as the language they use their actions and motivations typically are a twist of human impulses that run from one possibility to the other. The art inspired by Macbeth is just as complex; it challenges the art within the heart of the artists and the art created by Macbeth, two misunderstood realities.
Macbeth was a play full of many times and trials where many characters had tragic deaths or ended up with ironic success. Many of these aspects relate to the reason for which artist are inspired. Shakespeare’s Macbeth focuses on a man who chooses evil over good aided by poor willpower and power hungry ambition. Many artists relate well to the differences of good and evil and show through art as well as Shakespeare did through words. However, Macbeth is much more than a one-dimensional villain. Before the murder of Duncan, he is portrayed as a brave and loyal soldier who honored his king. The prophecies of three witches and the pressure of his wife, and his own ambition easily influenced Macbeth. The opening acts of Macbeth portray a world whose elements are unnatural and surreal. Macbeth is a play that contains numerous references to night and to darkness, this creates the atmosphere of growing evil that reflects the plot, and defines the dramatic world. As the play develops the grotesque becomes familiar: ghosts walk, innocents are murdered, and the dead are revenged. Ambition and the desire to attain power are driving forces in Macbeth as well as timeless aspirations. Many are going crazy to gain power or honor the country. The witches plotted to get Duncan’s son Malcolm on the throne. They even disguise themselves as others to lead the characters to action and thought. In the end, they win the prize. Malcolm is on the throne. And MacDuff has killed Macbeth. At the very heart of this tragedy lies witchcraft. Many productions limit the role of the witches to that of a catalyst but in this production they do much more than Macbeth or Lady Macbeth. Many are inspired by this to draw and produce artworks that portray the power of the witches, the tangled web of killings or the fall of Macbeth.
Aspects of Macbeth are seemed to be intended to flatter King James. King James was known to be a fan of witchcraft, seeing as how he authored a book called Demonology in 1597. Many artists were only inspired by the three witches, they played the biggest part on the inspirations of artists. Many known and unknown artists have created scenes of Macbeth through paintings or sculptures. But it?s their interpretation of what Shakespeare was feeling, along with their own influence. A lot of amateur artists have found a way to connect to Shakespeare?s moods and imagery, and through their art they show a part of themselves that Shakespeare has helped to find and to create. Macbeth?s relation in characters to that of humans is so similar it is easy to achieve a connection for most artists without even trying. Inspiration is spoken throughout all of Shakespeare?s words in all of his play whether it be good or bad. He inspires someone to give a part of themselves in many ways and one of the most dramatic and intense ways is created through art visually. Macbeth set the grounds that were needed to create and relate to, which is all that was needed for millions to get inspired from.