Act 3 Scene 4 The Banquet Scene The banquet, Macbeth is preparing, highly important to him.

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Act 3 Scene 4

The Banquet Scene

The banquet, Macbeth is preparing, highly important to him. It is a chance to show the thanes he is strong and in control, he is very capable of being king. Macbeth needs the banquet to be a success, to show off to the thanes, but when it goes horribly wrong, Macbeth fears that his reputation has.

In this scene, Macbeth's reactions and behaviour are very varied. At first, when the thanes arrive, he is the merry host and welcomes everybody with open arms. However, when they sit to eat, his role changes from host to murderer and then as a victim to Banquo's ghost. His behaviour diverges as he moves from his host role to his cold-hearted murderer role and finally to his chaotic, mad victim role, when he sees Banquo's ghost. Macbeth's changes in behaviour creates tension, especially during the time where Banquo's ghost arrives, as you wonder, if he'll let slip any of the murders.
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Macbeth's behaviour obviously differs, as at one point he is a calm-well-mannered host,

"Our self will mingle with society and play the humble

Host", then he transformed into an evil bloody-thirsty villain,

"Yet he's good that did the like for Fleance;

If thou didst it, thou art the nonpareil", and afterwards to a person, clearly unwell, as he has the hallucination of Banquo's ghost, which concerns the guests,

"Thou canst not say I did it; never shake

Thy gory locks at me!"

Lady Macbeth tries to protect Macbeth and take control ...

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