Modern Shakespeare, Wednesday Per 1 & 2

[glacial_queen]

The beanbags and other comfortable seating were back as the class settled in to watch Scotland, PA, a take on Macfinlay. Before the movie began, Karla passed around a plot summary of the original play. "In what is usually considered Shakespeare's take on the folly of ambition, we have the Macfinlays who are given a prophecy: Macfinlay will become king of Scotland. However, Scotland already has a king, Duncan, and Duncan's children are next in line for the throne. Rather than waiting to see how the prophecy might shake out, Lady Macfinlay suggests to her husband that they murder Duncan and take the throne for themselves. Macfinlay's best friend, Banquo, also receives a prophecy at the same time, saying that he will never be king, but his children will be."

She continued to go over the play in far greater detail than the handed out summary went into. The summary was useful for a quick reference for the students who were unfamiliar with the work (and could read it), but they deserved to have a fuller understanding of the play before watching the adaptation. Once her lecture was finished, she started the movie. "In this version, the story has been updated to America in the 1970s and the Macfinlays murder over a burger joint rather than a nation. There's popcorn and soda if you wish to make this a real movie experience. Otherwise, pay attention, take notes if you'd like, and be prepared to discuss the movie after it ends."

Comments

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[intotheout]

Tip was already at least passingly familiar with the play, so while she took some notes here and there about things she hadn't remembered, she was mostly trying to imagine a Boovian adaptation of the story. Obviously the title character would be Smek. But Boov didn't have marriage -- or any sort of romantic relationships at all -- so Lady Macfinlay would have to be, like, an undersecretary or something. Maybe Smek's receptionist? The one who had the whole "but I don't want to lower my helmet"/"but you have to lower your helmet" conversation. . . . Actually, the whole thing would probably work best using Funsize and his death ray.

As a result, her notes were covered in quickly scribbled doodles of six legged, frog armed aliens in kilts waving daggers and death rays around.

You know, as you do.