From Stage to Screen: A Comparative Analysis of Gender Roles and Power Dynamics in Shakespeare's Macbeth and Justin Kurzel's 2015 Film Adaptation.
Usha Bellakki
Guest Lecturer, Smt. Giriyamma Degree College, Harihara.
Keywords: Macbeth, Justin Kurzel, gender roles, power dynamics, film adaptation, trauma, grief, masculinity, femininity, Shakespeare, cinematic analysis.
Abstract
In this paper, I am trying to compare how gender roles and power are shown in Shakespeareâs Macbeth and the 2015 film version by Justin Kurzel. Many people think a movie is just a copy of the play, but here it is not like that. Kurzelâs film feels
more like a deep psychological study, not just a direct translation. The movie adds a very emotional change in the beginningâthe death of Macbeth and Lady Macbethâs child. This moment becomes the main reason for their actions, shifting
the focus from only ambition to pain and grief. Because of this, Lady Macbeth does not look like a cruel woman controlling her husband, but more like a heartbroken person, which makes her more human. The film also changes the witches. Instead
of magical and scary figures, they look more like normal women, almost like a motherly group, which gives a different feeling. Also, Macbethâs struggle with manhood is shown through something we often hear in modern timesâpost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), commonly seen in people facing violence. By carefully reading the original play and studying the filmâs camera work, sound, and colours, this research shows how the film uses cinema to talk about todayâs issues like trauma, gender, and the mental cost of violence. In this way, the adaptation gives us a fresh and meaningful view of Shakespeareâs tragedy that connects with the present generation.
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Published
01-02-2026