The Shakespearean Tragedy of/for Our Times. Macbeth?

Abstract

The article compares the diverse strategies employed by the three most recent adaptations of Macbeth, a play that appears to be the Shakespearean drama of our age judging from the number of recent adaptations. I argue that Justin Kurzel’s 2015 historical epic, Kit Monkman’s 2018 experimental production, and Joel Coen’s 2021 film entitled The Tragedy of Macbeth reflect the current shifts in the world of the cinema, as they exemplify a number of changes taking place in front of our eyes, both in terms of cinematic production and popular and critical reception. All three films use the early modern text in their dialogue, but rely on different visual and technological tools, showing how nostalgia and innovation, traditional and experimental approaches exist side by side in the contemporary mediascape.