On the evening of May 20th, the original English version of one of Four Great Tragedies Macbeth was first played in Jiaotingbiao Hall. This play was co-hosted by Jiangsu University Foreign Language Education Association, Youth League Committee and School of Foreign Languages in Southeast University, and co-presented by students of Shakespearean Drama Club and School of Foreign Languages of Southeast University. Viewers who enjoyed the play included Zhao Jianfeng, Deputy Secretary of SEU Youth League Committee, Li Tao, Secretary of Party Committee of Mathematics Department, Party Secretary Ma Qiang, Deputy Dean Zhu Hongqing, Party Secretary and Deputy Dean Tang Dinghua as well as related teachers of School of Foreign Languages.
Macbeth was written in 1606. The story went as follows: General Macbeth, cousin of Scotland king Duncan, met three witches on his way back home after the great success of counter-insurgency for the king. The witches told him the prediction that he would become the king of the country, but no one of his descendants but his colleague General Bancor’s offspring would inherit the throne. Macbeth was an ambitious hero. He murdered Duncan out of his wife’s incitation and became the king. In order to deceive the public and protect the throne, he killed Duncan’s imperial bodyguards General Bancor as well as the aristocrat Macduff’s wife and children step by step. Macbeth was haunted by the feeling of terror and suspicion and finally became a hard-hearted person. Macbeth showed no clue of sadness when Lady Macbeth died of insanity. Under the condition of being utterly isolated, Macbeth was besieged and beheaded by the son of Duncan and the England reinforcements.
With the purpose of vividly presenting the play to the audience, the players of Shakespearean Drama Club played to the strength and interpreted the twisted love and passionate hatred between the roles and their endless desire and inscrutable fate incisively and thoroughly.
Shakespearean Drama Club of Southeast University was founded on December 18th, 2013 and sponsored by the School of Foreign Language. It is an English drama club set up for the whole university, possessing 29 members from various departments after two recruitments. The main activities held by the club are drama performances and Shakespearean drama reading meetings, aiming to enrich the humanistic environment of Southeast University and improve English literary attainments of the students. The Macbeth play this time is Shakespearean Drama Club’s debut, directed by the Club President Lin Shuangshuang, who led more than ten selected performers to step on the stage of Jiaotingbiao Hall and achieved a great success after several months’ efforts.
The performance this time was the third activity of the second Foreign Cultural & Arts Festival in Southeast University, the serial activities of which not only developed students’ language proficiency, but also helped students have a better knowledge of life and society and enabled students to experience classical dramas and get influenced by the humanistic culture.
(Translated by Sun Min)
