Presentation of Macbeth

Sir,
This refers to the news item ‘ICCR presents Shakespeare’s play ‘Macbeth’ (DE, Nov 29, 2019).It is heartening to read that Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) staged Dogri adaptation of William Shakespeare’s world famous play’Macbeth:the Crown of Blood’ by Natraj Natya Kunj.Macbeth a famous tragedy by William Shakespeare is one of the greatest tragedies of the great bard who is considered a library in himself as besides tragedies,he has composed comedies, historical plays,sonnets, long poems. Believed to have been composed in 1605_1606,it was first published in the First Folio in 1923.Macbeth,a man of action and born soldier,is not a born criminal but his ambition leads him to crime.He ruins himself by his ambition by acting upon the suggestions of the witches.It contains some of the famous quotes and phrases such as ‘Fair is foul and foul is fair,the milk of human kindness, something wicked this way comes, what’s done cannot be undone there are daggers in men’s smiles,All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand,Life’s but a walking shadow etc. All these phrases and quotes have enriched English language and become a part of our everday use.The presentation of such a great play in Dogri at Jammu must have been a treat to the ears and eyes of the Dogras.Many plays of Shakespeare have already been staged in Jammu and got overwhelming response from the Dogras.So efforts must be made to present more plays in Dogri to make the people aware of Shakespearean wit and art.
Ashok Sharma,
Housing Colony, Udhampur.