This essay examines Roman Polanski’s cinematic portrayal of Lady Macbeth through the lens of postwar feminism and film history. The rise of Second Wave Feminism in the 1960s reshaped concepts about gender roles, reproductive rights, workplace inequality, and domestic expectations. Key texts like Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique urged women to seek identity beyond the home, prompting postwar filmmakers to reconsider how female characters were written and portrayed. Although women in 1960s cinema were still often cast as femme fatales or love interests, there was a growing trend toward more independent and complex female roles that reflected the era’s shifting values. Polanski’s 1971 Macbeth reflects these gender tensions. Funded by Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who requested a beautiful, nude actress as Lady Macbeth, Polanski cast Francesca Annis in the role. While the nudity risks objectification, Polanski reframes it as a symbol of psychological fragility, not an erotic spectacle. His Lady Macbeth is neither Shakespeare’s shrewish queen nor a classic noir temptress. Instead, she blends beauty with vulnerability, ambition with innocence. Her manipulation of Macbeth is subtly rooted in emotional intimacy rather than power control. As the film progresses, her fantasies of power give way to guilt and conscience, distancing her from cruelty and brute violence. Polanski ultimately draws a line between masculine action and feminine fantasy, portraying Lady Macbeth as a tragic, vulnerable wife. His adaptation reflects both the influence of feminist discourse and the lingering constraints of male-centered narration in postwar cinema.

Authors:
Elyssa Y. Cheng, The National University of Kaohsiung, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Elyssa Y. Cheng is a Professor in the Department of Western Languages and Literature at the National University of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

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