Making Macbeth funny: a case for comedic adaptation of Shakespeare's tragic play

This thesis both explores and promotes the value in adapting William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Macbeth, into a comedy. The research focuses first on establishing key differences between tragedy and comedy with special attention to the fundamental tragic characteristics of Macbeth in its original form. The study then turns to close examination of three notable comedic adaptations of Macbeth, assessing the adapting playwrights’ specific approaches and techniques as well as the cultural/social commentaries they effectively communicate through their comical conversions. The thesis culminates in an understanding of the immense power in comically retelling tragic stories.