Shakespeare’s Plays and Modern Adaptations

Abstract

The main purpose of this essay is to examine the obstacles that modern adaptors encounter when filming Shakespeare’s plays, particularly Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra. This essay argues that in trying to overcome the problems of the text, the language, poetry and stage convention, filmmakers have developed certain techniques in order to enable the screen serve Shakespeare’s dramatic structure, his characterisation and his poetry. Keywords: Script; Film; Macbeth; Antony and Cleopatra; Stage Convention; Audience; Actor; Screen; Adaptation