Mr Shakespeare, I have notes
I asked ChatGPT to consider Macbeth from a story editor's perspective. The results were enlightening and excruciating in equal measure.
“As a story editor, I’d focus on tightening Macbeth’s pacing and exploring characters’ motivations more deeply while ensuring that the core themes of ambition, guilt, and fate remain central. Here's how I might revise it:
Additions
Lady Macbeth’s Backstory: Include a short flashback or dialogue early in the play to give insight into Lady Macbeth's ambitions and her relationship with Macbeth before his rise. This would make her descent into madness more poignant.
Banquo’s Perspective: Add a monologue or brief scene showing Banquo grappling with the witches' prophecy about his descendants. This would deepen his role as Macbeth's foil.
Macduff’s Loss: Expand on the moment when Macduff learns about the slaughter of his family. A scene showing his immediate reaction could heighten the emotional stakes and reinforce his eventual motivation for revenge.
The Witches’ Influence: Show the witches manipulating events subtly in the background—e.g., influencing Macbeth's messengers or planting seeds of paranoia in the court. This would enhance the supernatural element.
Deletions
Hecate’s Scene (Act 3, Scene 5): This scene feels disconnected from the rest of the play and doesn’t advance the plot. Cutting it would streamline the story.
Overt Exposition: Some minor scenes of dialogue, such as Ross and the Old Man discussing the unnatural events after Duncan's murder, could be trimmed or merged with other scenes to maintain the story’s momentum.
Changes
Lady Macbeth’s Death: Instead of her death happening offstage, depict her final moments. A powerful, intimate scene of her unraveling and ultimate demise could amplify the tragedy.
Macbeth’s Conscience: Include a soliloquy near the climax where Macbeth reflects on his growing isolation and fear, making his character arc more nuanced and relatable.
Fleance’s Escape: Show Fleance evading the murderers, perhaps with the help of loyalists. This would hint at the fulfillment of the witches' prophecy and provide a hopeful counterpoint to Macbeth’s tyranny.
These changes would add depth, make certain events more impactful, and streamline the narrative for a modern audience while respecting Shakespeare’s core themes.”
