Michael Chiu British Lit 15/7/2011 A Comparison between Macbeth and Throne of Blood Thrones of Blood included assorted

elements of one of the greatest Shakespeare play, Macbeth, but it was not a simple adaptation of the play. It was an aesthetic creation that was full of symbolic representations, which was perfected with the usage of Noh elements. One of the key differences between William Shakespeares MacBeth and Akira Kurosawas Throne of Blood was the style used in the depiction of the characters, because the deposition of the protagonists of the movie and the play was different. We can easily visualize the differences through the comparison of Macbeth and Washizu, Lady Macbeth and Asaji, and Macduff and the anonymous foe in Throne of Blood. The first encounter of the witch(s) by Macbeth and Washizu triggered different reactions. When he first met the witches, Macbeth confronted the witches eagerly and impetuously forced them to prophesy about the future of Banquo and him. In contrast, Washizu kept a stern face when he faced the witch. It was Miki, who kindly and calmly asked the witch about the omens. It showed that Washizu was less ambitious of the fame that was meant to come. Washizu was a righteous being who viewed the account of the witch preposterous and pompous. He was eager to leave the forest right afterward, but Macbeth did not show any agitation; he stayed and had a discussion with Banquo calmly. Not just so, Macbeth asked Banquo if his sons would be kings, but he did not mention himself. It became conspicuous that maybe he had been pondering over the impediments he had to eliminate for the fulfillment of his desire. Washizu did not formulate this type of cognition; he became speechless after he heard the wicked prophecy. Lady Macbeth and Asaji have manipulated their husbands and led them astray due to

their aspirations. Lady Macbeth used vigorous words to incite the desire of Macbeth. On the other hand, Asaji, who was a character portrayed in mime, said very little and used simply her facial expression to imply her thoughts. She concealed her thoughts, which made her husband extremely vulnerable. Washizus righteous view has turned nebulous, because his wife kept on hinting him that the seeking of crown was a conduct that should not arouse any guilt nor pain due to her own calmness. As a lively character, Lady Macbeth was not oblivious of her wrong doings. Through the act of sleepwalking, she comforted her husband and blamed herself for causing this irrevocable sin with remorse. Conversely, Asaji scrubbed her hands frantically during her nightmare, with vacant, senseless eyes. The occurrence has caused all the other people to rush out of the house in Throne of Blood, but the doctor and the gentlewoman were not scared of Lady Macbeth and listened attentively as she confided the truth. Although it did not seem much, the acts showed how Lady Macbeth was not viewed as a formidable fiend, but Asajis appearance excluded pity from the observers. Lady Macbeth received sympathy from the gentlewoman. She was grief-stricken and said, I would not have such a heart in my bosom for the dignity of the whole body. Macduff took Macbeths life at the end for vengeance. In opposition, there was not a clearly defined adversary found in Throne of Blood. Macduff acted as a representation of a righteous man, a man that put the welfare of others in front of his prolific gains. Although Macduff once revered Macbeth, but he turned malicious after Macbeth murdered his family. In the play, he acted as a persecutor of all evil doings, a judge of the sinister beings. Looking into Throne of Blood, Kurosawa purposely left the character anonymous. He focused solely on the inner struggle of the man; the morals that once governed Washizu turned into his greatest enemy after he committed himself to murdering. Washizus countenance gave little information of his thought process, but it was clarified through the symbolism of nature. The change of atmosphere showed the deterioration of his mind. When his wife turned deranged,

lightening split the sky in two. As the forest approached, darkness shadowed the whole city. As the daylight showered the castle, the birds threw the whole city into confusion, the uproar of his people clouded Washizus thoughts, and the impending forest beclouded the castle. These foreshadow the coming events and the confusion that was going on in his head. Upon his demise, he remained absent minded. He was anticipating a physical enemy to challenge him, but his ignorance led to his vain death. The portrait on the character through nature was mastered by the Noh play, and Throne of Blood was no doubt an embodiment of the play. In conclusion, the central characteristic differences of Macbeth and Washizu were their extent of ambition for power. Macbeths subtle yearning for power was seen through the scene of the three witch sisters, but Washizu remained upright after the foretelling. The motion of the female conspirators was also different in scale. Although Lady Macbeth shelved his husband to commit the evil deeds, she did show regret afterward. On the other hand, Asaji has threatened and befuddled herself, which caused the nightmare. She realized her grotesque deeds, but she did not see her faults. At last, the tangible foe was Macduff in Macbeth, but in Throne of Blood, the director focused mainly on the inner struggle of Washizu, and the turmoils he has gone trough were reflected trough the description of the disastrously peculiar weather. The display of the content might have certain major similarities, but Throne of Blood gave the audience revolutionary ideas that did not appear in Macbeth.