“Were the graced person of our Banquo present,
Who may I rather challenge for unkindness
Than pity for mischance”
Macbeth accuses the others for Banquo’s ghost sitting in Macbeth’s seat. His guilt is ruining the day. Polanski’s Macbeth, was drinking out of a goblet and his fear of seeing Banquo’s ghost is portrayed when this falls on the floor, the diegetic sound created by the fall interrupts the chello music that is there to give the scene an eerie feel. The camera zooms into the goblet to show its importance. Then the camera cuts and shows a close up of Banquo’s face after Macbeth’s.
Macbeth tries to cover up his foolish behaviour by proposing a toast to the guests to ease the tension in the banquet hall. He later admits that he was not a man when he saw Banquo’s ghost but now the ghost has left he is okay. In addition he has regained his power, “Pray you, sit still.”
Macbeth also shows guilt when he realises that he has gone too far, he killed Duncan and now killed Banquo, however he also feels that he has “stepped in so far” that he cannot return to the life that he once had. Similarly, his fear of revenge is shown, as he says, “blood will have blood”, as if Banquo’s ghost will haunt for the remainder of his life.
Lady Macbeth is able to retain control of the guests by commanding them still being polite, “Sit, worthy friends” she realises that they are feeling intimidated by the actions of King Macbeth. Plus, Lady Macbeth asks Macbeth whether he is “a man” as she is angry at the way he is behaving, this also links back to Act 1 Scene 7 where she says, “When you durst do it then you were a man”, here she is able to manipulate him by questioning his manhood. This is effective because he is a proud soldier and he lives in a society where class is determined by strength but mostly because he is hurt as his wife is the being that accused him and her affections were conditional and unless he met her needs she denied his role as a protector and husband.
Lady Macbeth seems to dismiss what Macbeth is saying as she is being scornful towards him. She also refers to the “air drawn dagger” in Act 2 Scene 1 where this “dagger” led to Duncan’s death. She said that it was him imagination and that it was something a lady would tell a child at a “winter’s fire”, meaning what he is saying would only be found in a folk tale.
Moreover, Lady Macbeth tries to tell him that he is being a coward as she says, “unmanned in folly?” she is saying that he is being stupid and not very manly to which he responds. This proves that she is not who she used to be, he answers her back rather listen to her and try to come to terms with her. Polanski’s Lady Macbeth tries to get eye contact with Macbeth and make him understand that he is ruining the good day however he is not looking at her but the ghost. This also shows that even though she is not a nice lady at the start of the play she is now more concerned about him.
Another point is that she seems to care more about how the banquet goes then the sights that her husband, Banquo is seeing. She believes that the reason for Macbeth’s strange sight is sleep as she says, “you lack the season of all natures, sleep” this also shows that she is concerned about him so she removes him from public places, the banquet and sends him to bed hoping he would be feeling better in the morning. Polanski shows their conversation on a table where there a candle splitting them both, Lady Macbeth does not seem too comfortable sitting there and we know this as when Macbeth offers his hand to escort her upstairs she ignores it. The camera then tilts as they walk.
We are also told “that Macduff denies his person” to the banquet. This may be because he is suspicious about how Macbeth became the King as he was the one of the men that was blamed for King Duncan’s death and his absence is more powerful than his presence would be if he were there.
Also the guests feel uncomfortable in the banquet hall as they do not understand what is happening to their King, “what my good lord”. In the film by Polanski we are shown that they all feel the same as they all stand up in unison as Lady Macbeth says, “Pray you, sit still”
