Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy-

A distinctive feature of Polanski’s movie is that he chose to have his characters thinking out loud their
soliloquy rather than speaking it out loud, as it is the case with this scene, which makes it more
disturbing since we alsmost feel as if we are entering those bleak chambers of their mind. Lady Macbet’s
soliloquy is the empitome of suc a tehnique. Francesca Annis, the actress playing Lady Macbeth can be
seen upon the battlements watching as the royal train ascends the road to Inverness. Her soliloquy is
complemented by her witchy appearance, almost resembling the mythical Circe. As she wishes to defy
her human status, calling for the spirits to unsex her, there is a faint grin animating her cold, still
countenance whilst the wind blows her hair as to reveal her boldness and at the same time her ravenous
evil brewing inside her. She also seems to cast a sort of spell upon Duncan who thereupon claims: “This
castle hath a pleasant seat. The air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto our gentle senses”. It is
like a misleading sense of coziness regarding Inverness that she casts upon them and which makes
Duncan unable to distinguish between foul and fair, offering him not the faintest idea of what is about
to happen. The hypnotizing train of thoughts is interrupted by a flag that fills violently and suddenly the
frame in the transition from Lady Macbeth to Duncan’s train.

Polanski choses to convey the uneasiness of this contrast through the transition from lady Macbeth’s
scarf to one of the flags carried by one of Duncan’s knights which almost immediately and violently fills
the whole frame.

Her soliloquy almost feels like a curse cast upon Duncan the

FORESHADOW

APARITIA EI CALMA, NETULBURATA DE AICI CARE PARE CA I SE TRANSMITE LUI MACBETH IN FINAL, CA
UN SCHIMB

Macbeth and the witches

In what concerns the witches they seem to portray the idea that there is no art to find the mind
construction in the face. In the scene where Macbeth and Banquo arrive at their lair, Banquo remarks
that they ‚’’don’t look like the inhabitants of the earth’’, which maybe indeed the case. They almost
seem to hide their wax-like faces or to show no expression whatsoever. The oldest one’s face face
seems to be made of cardoard and her eye sockets seems to be empty, hollow. All these make make
them seem as if they belong from another dimension and convey a sense of uneasiness to the viewer.
There is also the contrast between Banquo and Macbeth, the former seems to make fun of these
aparitions, the latter seems to be genuinely shocked by them. The quiver of his mouth while he tries to
keep a still countenenace and the rain falling like sweat over his face makes him seem restless and
astouned.

Another distinctive feature of Polanski’s film is that he constantly seems to peek from behind the
characters’ shoulders or watch them as they fade into the distance as the music, the clop of the horses
or their laughter enhance the unsettling atmosphere like a bad omen.