The Death of Tragedy

What is it that causes a person to pity another? Is it an primordial instinct, to feel for those worse off than us? Or is it the inevitable sadness we all feel when presented with a character, doomed to failure from the start? Macbeth, the doomed usurper in Macbeth was surely a prime example of a tragic hero, worthy of an audience’s tears and pities. However, the UCC version of final scene of Macbeth encourages catharsis in the way opposite one might expect in seeing Macbeth’s end; relief and joy instead of pity and sadness. There are three reasons for this: Macbeth’s unrepentant attitude, Malcolm’s banishing of all things Macbeth and the unwillingness of some to give up to the death and bloodshed caused by Macbeth during his life. These three key points, emphasized in the UCC version of Macbeth cause the audience to feel not pity as one might expect, but instead relief as Macbeth winds to a close.

In the Oxford version of Macbeth, Macbeth seems to give up and accept defeat halfway through is dialogue with Macduff, his arch nemesis. Upon hearing that Macduff is unaffected by the charm placed upon him (Macbeth), Macbeth seems to have received a staggering blow to his power and in a way his manhood (which is emphasized throughout Macbeth: “Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, For it hath cowed my better part of man;” (5.7.47-48). A reader of Macbeth might assume this to be Macbeth’s last stand, as he has realized by this point that, however immortal and powerful he believed himself to be before, Macduff has found his weakness, his “Achilles’ heel” and intends to end him. Moreover, Macbeth brings this a step forward a few lines after by uttering what seems to be the ultimate “white flag”: “I’ll not fight with thee.” (5.7.52). The final scene in the Oxford version creates in the audience an inclination to pity Macbeth, as readers might believe that Macbeth has finally found his limit, the end of his line, his own morality. However, the UCC version of the play does just the exact opposite.

In the video version of scene 5.7, Macbeth does indeed seem cowed for a moment after he realizes his fate (“Accursed be that tongue […] better part of man;” (5.7.47-48)), but is soon back on his proverbial feet, flushed with anger and ready to put it all on the line. He continues to assail Macduff with unrelenting ferocity, as if all previous notions of surrender and submission to justice have been forgotten or buried. An audience might perceive Macbeth’s unrepentant attitude in this scene the last straw. Up until this point, it is not wrong to assume that the audience may have still harbored some feelings of pity and hopes for Macbeth’s return to his old self. However his refusal to submit to Macduff and steadfastness in his own rightful ways leaves the audience no choice but to wish an end upon his head, and to be relieved when it comes, not long after him and Macduff begin fighting. This refusal by Macbeth to acknowledge his wrongs, even in his final moments, changes the audience’s perception of him as a tragic hero to an unrelenting villain and further adds to their relief when he is defeated.

The second part of this scene that contributes to the audience’s feeling of relief at Macbeth’s end occurs, strangely, after Macbeth has been defeated. At the beginning of scene 5.7 (5.7 is sometimes split into 5.7 and 5.8) in the Oxford text, Young Seyward (Seyward’s son) confronts Macbeth. They duel, and on account of Macbeth’s immunity to all men born of women, slays him. The reaction of Seyward to the news of her sons death contributes to the audience’s reaction (albeit in a smaller way) to Macbeth’s end and Malcolms rightful seizing of the throne. By this point in the play, not only is the audience weary of Macbeth’s murders and killings, they are expecting a sound resolution to the play. When Seyward receives news of her son’s death, she responds with a “Why then, God’s soldier be he: Had I as many sons as I have hairs, I would not wish them to a fairer death – And so his knell is knolled.” (5.7.76-79). This appears as though she is mourning for the loss of her son and is greatly saddened by the loss. Malcolm replies by saying that “He’s worth more sorrow,” (5.7.80), implying that he is worthy of their sadness and mourning indeed. Whereas the text of Macbeth portrays the loss of Young Seyward as a great blow to the morale of the “good” in Macbeth (Malcolm, Macduff, Ross, Lennox, Seyward and all others not aligned with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth), the UCC version of the final scene greatly minimizes the effect of Young Seyward’s death on Seyward.

The UCC version of 5.7 shows Seyward, along with Ross and Malcolm standing and conversing about their friends and the loss of Young Seyward. Seyward, upon hearing of Young Seyward’s demise, asks if “he is dead?” (5.7.74). She does with neither a waver of her voice or a tear falling from her eyes. Although this may seem to be an overly-trivial detail, it is in reality, something that the audience (and perhaps, more by female audience members) would take note of very quickly. The fact that Seyward shows almost no emotion in this scene signifies one of two things; that she is either as cold-hearted and emotionless as Macbeth sometimes seems to be, or she is minimizing the sadness within her in favor of keeping a positive front and continuing on with life. In this case, it is most likely the latter. This steadfastness on the part of Seyward to not show emotion and sadness is symbolic of someone who, after enduring a great tragedy in their life, makes the conscious decision to move forward. In this way, she is effectively denying Macbeth victory over her emotionally, even after he is defeated. This unwillingness to show sadness on the part of Seyward would also invoke in the audience a sense of pity for her, in such a way that Malcolm’s seizure of the throne soon after fulfills the expectation of a sound resolution.

The last reason that the audience might breathe a “sigh of relief” at the end of Macbeth’s rule is that they have the knowledge that all evil has ended, and that good will prevail thereafter. Malcolm’s entire speech at the very end of scene 5.7 exhibits the will of Malcolm (and others like Seyward who wish to get on with life after Macbeth’s bloodshed has ended) to improve his kingdom that has been torn apart by Macbeth. He states many of his wishes in his final speech for the here and now, including “calling home our exiled friends abroad (recalling all those alienated and forced to flee by Macbeth, like his brother Donalbain)” and doing “what needful else That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace We will perform in measure, time and place” (5.7.90-105). This speech is portrayed as a call to arms and revival, for all in Malcolm’s kingdom to rise to the call of rebuilding what Macbeth has torn down. In this way, his speech brings a partial resolution to the play and to the audience’s expectation of a resolution as well. However, the UCC version makes this speech even more important by adding in an element not even mentioned in the Oxford text.

In the UCC version of 5.7, a stranger walks onto the stage midway through Malcolm’s speech. The identity of this stranger is never hinted at or mentioned, so the audience has no idea who it is. However, it is soon made obvious that he is hostile, as Seyward takes his sword and Malcolm and Macduff hold their blades to the stranger’s throat. He is pushed up against a pole at sword point, but is not dispatched or harmed in any way. What does this portray to the audience? Nothing but the dismissal of the last vestiges of Macbeth’s reign. This stranger, whoever he is, is assumed to be in line with Macbeth. This assumption makes the audience more relieved when he is finally escorted off stage (they see this as the last strangling veins of Macbeth’s reign are pulled away). Whatever the goal of this stranger was, he never accomplished it, and instead made the audience feel more joy and relief at Malcolm’s speech to rebuild his kingdom. In a way, the stranger’s appearance is somewhat of a bouncing block for Malcolm’s speech further glorifying it by adding an element of the “defeat of evil” through the defeat of this stranger.

All of these elements leading up to the demise and end of Macbeth’s reign combine to produce an odd affect on the audience. Instead of creating feelings of sympathy for Macbeth as a tragic hero, his final moments are shameful and cause instead disgust in the audience’s mind. The UCC version did a great job in exacerbating Macbeth’s flaws and inducing catharsis in the opposite direction; disgust instead of pity and relief in place sympathy. This is similar to many cases that occur in today’s society; in the hallways of our educational institutions and in the meeting rooms of many great corporations. It looks great, until one slips up or does something wrong. This is in effect, poisoning your own well: from that moment on, your peers, friends and enemies will look at you with disgust, instead of admiration and hope, very similar to what occurred in the final scene of Macbeth.

-----

Here are the two parts of scene 5.7 as performed by UCC

Part 1,

and Part 2:

kamster