How effective is Shakespeare in holding the audience's attention in the Banquet Scene? Introduction

English Coursework on “Macbeth”

How effective is Shakespeare in holding the audience’s attention in the Banquet Scene?

Introduction

Shakespeare, although a superb storyteller, was not a historian but he did realise that historical events could provide very good material for plays. Macbeth was a real Scottish Lord who was born in 1005 and elected King of Scotland. Shakespeare used this character on which to base his play. However, Shakespeare also changed the story line of his play to make it more appealing to his audience. He made Macbeth into an ambitious warlord who kills a good King in order to gain power. He also includes the character of Banquo in the play, again another real Scottish Lord from whom James I, King of Scotland and England at the time Shakespeare wrote the play, was supposed to be descended.

So Shakespeare immediately has made his play appealing to royalty and Jacobean audiences who were very interested in the role of their King, who had not long ascended to the throne of England when the play was written. Shakespeare ensures that he doesn’t upset the King by making Banquo into a wronged hero and also includes ideas such as witchcraft, the supernatural and the struggle between good and evil, for which James I had a fascination. Shakespeare very cleverly interweaves these ideas into the play. In addition, Shakespeare made sure that he included plenty of references to popular news stories in the play so that his audience remained interested.

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The Banquet Scene is a pivotal point in the play of “Macbeth”. It is a very important turning point because it is the scene that shows the audience that Macbeth is losing control of his position and it marks his eventual downfall. Shakespeare structures the scene in such a way that unusual events take place and so hold the audience’s attention throughout. The scene is very visual and has lots of impact. There is a lot of blood shown and Macbeth’s behaviour is extreme as he overturns the banquet.

Shakespeare begins the scene very much as ...

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Shakespeare begins the scene very much as the audience would expect, ie. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth greet their guests as any normal King and Queen would. However, it is not long before he brings on the First Murderer to tell Macbeth that Banquo has been killed, but Fleance has escaped. Macbeth has to step aside from his guests to speak to him. This event is the start of the build up of dramatic tension in the scene. The appearance of the murderer would shock the audience as it would be odd for this to happen in real life and it shows that Macbeth is ruthless enough to risk being seen with such a character.

Shakespeare builds the tension and excites the audience even more by introducing the supernatural into the scene:

‘Enter the GHOST OF BANQUO and sits in Macbeth’s place.’

The audience have just been shown that Banquo has been murdered. Imagine their shock when the character reappears as a ghost. Shakespeare also uses this appearance to change Macbeth’s character dramatically. Up until that point Macbeth had been strong but when Banquo’s ghost appears he weakens, but this is also when Lady Macbeth’s character grows stronger. The tension increases further when Macbeth, obviously shaken by the ghost’s appearance, admits his guilt.

‘Thou canst not say I did it; never shake

Thy gory locks at me!’

Lady Macbeth is cleverly able to cover up for him by saying that he is having one of his fits. She has to do so again when the ghost appears for the second time. It has become obvious that nobody else can see the ghost. It would be left to the audience’s imagination whether Banquo’s ghost is really there or whether Macbeth is imagining it.

In addition, the audience would have seen the significance of Banquo sitting in Macbeth’s throne where he should really have been sitting himself. This also refers back to the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s descendants would eventually inherit the throne. In Jacobean England people believed strongly that there was a definite social order, with the King and God at the top of the pyramid. James I himself believed in the divine right of kings and that he had been appointed by God. The Jacobean audience would know that Macbeth had not been appointed in this way and did not deserve to be King. As Macbeth’s Banquet breaks down, so does his ability to be King.

Shakespeare also holds his audience’s attention by giving the scene a structured beginning, middle and end. The beginning is where Macbeth is trying to impress in his new role and create order and stability. The middle is where the ghost appears and he loses control, and the end is where the Banquet breaks down in chaos and Macbeth admits to being so evil that he can never go back.

‘I am in blood

Stepped in so far that should I wade no more,

Returning were as tedious as go o’er.’

This is a very strong statement from Macbeth, admitting that he has shed so much blood that it is easier to carry on doing so rather than stop and turn around.

By contrast, Lady Macbeth is showing signs of the strain. Her sentences become shorter and she admits that she does not know what is night or day, what is right or wrong.

‘What is the night?’

‘Almost at odds with morning, which is which.’

In conclusion, Shakespeare uses a variety of methods to hold his audience’s attention effectively. These range from the use of the supernatural, topical events and historical characters to using Jacobean society’s beliefs in a scene packed with action and excitement.