01. LEC052004. Comparison between Macbeth and Joji.

 

Extent from Macbeth to Joji: Similarities and Differences 

  Greed as a result of anxiety and depression is a weapon which is poisonous to the human soul. It only leads to loss and agony. This is the central theme of the 1606 tragic play of Shakespeare, Macbeth. The play discusses about the role and effects of greed in creating one’s life miserable and dishonorable. It is portrayed through the character Macbeth, the greatest anti-hero of Shakespeare. The play was adapted to several literary genres and art forms across all the cultures. Joji, the 2021 Malayalam movie, directed by Dileesh Pothan and scripted by Syam Pushkaran, is an inspiration from Macbeth. A comparative analysis between Joji and Macbeth can be executed on the basis of plot, dialogues, characters and scenes. 

  Macbeth had played a great influence in the movie Joji though it is not a direct adaptation of the play. There are several similarities and dissimilarities between them. The play Macbeth depicts the story of the character Macbeth who ruthlessly kills his King Duncan and other acquaintances to seize the power. It was Macbeth's greed and ambition that led him commits crimes. In the film Joji, a similar plot of murders can be witnessed for the same reason. The anti-hero Joji, played by Fahadh Faasil, out of greed, commits two murders to get money and power. When Macbeth committed regicide, Joji committed patricide and fratricide. Though the two characters possessed instability, Joji's reason was more convincing than Macbeth's. When Macbeth kills Duncan, he was holding the position of the Thane of Glamis. He was wealthy and powerful. Moreover he was dearest to King Duncan. But Joji, an engineering drop out, who is presented as an aimless lazy young man, nurtures his ambition and greed out of anxiety and depression. Duncan, the King of Scotland was kind-hearted and amiable to Macbeth. In the movie Joji, the role of Duncan can be seen from the character, Kuttapan, the father of Joji. Unlike Duncan, Kuttapan was an ironfisted man who controls everything. His house and the plantation around were his kingdom and the people, his servants. It can be well understood from the scene in which Joji mockingly says he is a servant of Kuttapan. 

  The other important characters are Lady Macbeth and Banquo. Lady Macbeth is the wife of Macbeth and Banquo, his best companion. In the movie Joji, Lady Macbeth can be recognized with the character Bincy, brother’s wife of Joji. Bincy is far different from Lady Macbeth. When Lady Macbeth plans the plot, Bincy secretly hides Joji's suspicious actions. Even though she wasn’t aware about his plans, she made a pivotal role in making him capable to commit crimes. Through her silence and humiliation towards Joji, she expresses her dislikes for their father. There is a scene in which she says his good days will be wasted on the kitchen slab. Such scenes and expressions of anger, all helped Joji to make believe that he had the support of Bincy. Unlike Lady Macbeth, she silently motivated Joji to commit crimes. Like Lady Macbeth, she could have lived in the house, but her insatiable feeling and anxiety under a patriarchal family made her disloyal. 

The character Jomon, well portrayed by Baburaj resembles with Macbeth’s friend Banquo. Banquo was faithful to Macbeth just like Jomon was to Joji. Jomon was a kind hearted, loving brother and faithful son to his father. Banquo wasn’t ready to believe the prophecy of witches that one day his descendants will become the kings of Scotland. He didn’t really wish for it either. Similarly, Jomon wasn’t much need for his family wealth. He gives more importance to his family. Jomon's death was Joji's second crime. When Macbeth used dagger for killing, Joji made use of toxic medicines and air gun.

  In considering the other differences, there are many missing elements in Joji. The main important is the witches. Witches are absent in the movie Joji. But there is a scene in which Dr. Felix, their uncle, says to Joji that he is going to be a millionaire. This can be considered as similar to the prophecy of the witches in Macbeth. Instead, there is a possibility to find witches in Joji himself. His own thoughts can be considered as the witches. The other missing element is the ghost of Banquo. There is no appearance of any ghostly figures in the movie Joji. The ironical dialogue of Bincy to Joji that not to fear the dead, but should fear the alive is important in this context. He doesn’t fears anybody but pretends to be sorrowful for his family’s condition. When Macbeth was killed at the end, the movie ends with the suicide attempt of Joji. Unlike Macbeth, Joji wasn’t at all guilty about his deeds which make Joji stronger than Macbeth.  

  Joji is a psychological movie where the defects of extreme self love are depicted. Like the play suggests, film also focused on the deadly effects of greed in one’s life. Besides their greed and ambitious traits, both Macbeth and Joji are entirely two different characters having different circumstances. As an inspirational attempt, director Dileesh had tried to portray a variant of Macbeth of Scotland in a Joji of Kottayam.

References

Joji. Directed by Dileesh Pothan. Performances by Fahadh Faasil. Working Class Hero, 2021. 

Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Ed. Brady Timoney. Saddleback Educational Publishing, 2003.