Shakespeare & Netflix's "House of Cards"

Even though many people were acquainted with William Shakespeare’s plays throughout school, probably only a few have actually enjoyed and fully understood these stories. Most of us have read them, then seen the film adaptations and thought that was all. However, there is more to them than what meets the eye. Due to the fact that Shakespeare managed to brilliantly create patterns in his plays, many artists are now able to use those patterns in their own artwork.

 The Netflix series House of Cards(2013-2018) is a great example of incorporating Shakespearian motifs in a modern storyline. The series is an adaptation of Michael Dobbs’s political thriller novel which follows the evolution of Frank Underwood, a ruthless politician, and his wife, Claire, throughout their continuous pursuit of power. The main idea of the show is that nothing is what it seems. To put it in Shakespeare’s word: “Fair is foul and foul is fair”. Behind the humble, caring appearance of the characters lie cruel selfish intentions. The contrast between appearance and the true nature of the couple is also ironically illustrated by the choice of names. “Frank” which means “truthful” and “Claire” – “transparent” are adjectives that only describe the way the characters are regarded from the outside. However, throughout the plot’s development, we, as viewers, are able to unravel the ugly nature that hides behind the mask. However, the characters portrayed in the series are neither exclusively bad, nor good, we experience both disdain and empathy towards them. Their complexity reminds us of Shakespearian characters from Richard the 3^rd or Macbeth, and, throughout the entire show, we are provided with a very similar experience to the one of attending a play.

One of the main elements that contribute to this effect is the concept of breaking the fourth wall, which refers to the idea of a character addressing the audience directly, with a short line, or even a long monologue, in order to offer the viewers/readers an insight into his mind. This technique was brilliantly applied by Shakespeare in plays like Richard the 3^rd and is also visible in House of Cards. Most of the times, what the protagonist tells the other characters differs completely from what he tells the audience when looking straight into the camera, as if his message were “Do you see? I’m fooling them all! And they have no idea.”. This situation can be observed in one of the adaptations of Richard the 3^rd, when the protagonist, played by Ian McKellen, stares into our eyes and confesses his ill intentions:

“And now, I’ll marry her, although I killed her husband and her father”

 Other times, the character simply explains his way of thinking, illustrating his opinions, as Frank often does in House of Cards:

“I look across at this crowd gathered today and I know that these are not my supporters. I’m looking at people who are waiting with a smile on their face for their turn. And the most vicious among them are the ones who are smiling and clapping the hardest.”

Moreover, this technique determines the public to be more engaged into the storyline and there’s no surprise that they want the protagonist to succeed, despite him actually being the villain. One of Frank’s monologues in House of Cards explains exactly that:

“You don’t actually need me to stand for anything. You just need me to stand. To be the strong man, the man of action. My God, you’re addicted to action and slogans. It doesn’t matter what I say. It doesn’t matter what I do. Just as long as I’m doing something, you’re happy to be along for the ride.”

(www.imdb.com)

Consequently, as an audience, despite feeling repulsion towards the vile actions of Frank and Claire, we are astonished by the characters’ ambition and determination to defeat anyone who stands in their way. As you may have noticed, these are features that also describe the couple in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which, in my opinion, is the play which shows the most resemblance to the Netflix show.

Firstly, both Lady Macbeth and Claire seem to be the ones in control of the situation, the underestimated innocent-looking women who actually are the masterminds, guiding their husbands throughout the storyline. Frank always discusses his plans and next moves with his wife, just as Lady Macbeth is the first with whom Macbeth shares his thoughts. The series accentuates even more the power of the female, since, after Frank’s death, Claire is the one to take his place in the Oval Office, as the first female president of the United States. Similar to Lady Macbeth’s choice not to have children, throughout the seasons, we find out that Claire has chosen to have abortions in the past and she expresses her lack of interest in romance, fidelity and motherhood. She even coldheartedly threatens a pregnant co-worker by saying “I’m willing to let your child wither and die inside you if that’s what’s required”. Her statement bares resemblance to the one of Lady Macbeth in act 1, scene 7:

“How tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me/ I would, while it was smiling in my face,/ Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums/ And dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn”.

Secondly, there are many similarities between the male protagonists, too. After the crimes committed, they both show signs of remorse, although these are a lot more visible in Shakespeare’s play than in House of Cards. However, the series does present Frank’s doubts and regrets in a few scenes. For instance, after murdering Peter Ruso, the protagonist finds himself in a church where, due to some loud noises in the back, he whispers “Peter, is that you?”, illustrating how he is followed by the ghost of the man who died because of him. This scene reminds us of the encounter Macbeth has with the ghost of Banquo, the friend he murdered.

Throughout the storyline, the evolution of the couple in House of Cards is similar to the one in Macbeth. Fate isn’t kind to neither of them, as the spouses slowly lose their mental stability and sanity, while they are tortured by the terrible things they have caused. Even though Claire is the only one to remain alive in the series, the ending doesn’t give us the impression that she is in her right mind and leads a happy life. All in all, both stories come to the same conclusion which, in a nutshell, is: what goes around comes around. The Macbeths and the Underwoods, who have shown nothing but cruelty all their life and have done more bad deeds than good ones, end up receiving the punishment they deserve, as old-fashioned as that might sound.