The Dramatic Effectiveness of Act 3 Scene 4 - The Banquet Scene

The first murderer enters covered in blood from his previous doings in the last scene, at this point the whole audience knows what has happened; yet Macbeth is still in the dark about the outcome of the murder and is anxious to find out the result. The murderer enters enveloped in Banquo's blood in the middle of a banquet and to a viewer this is very tense as at any moment it feels that the Lords would become suspect about Banquo's disappearance and Macbeth's guilt. The murderer's hand's are covered in blood which is symbolic as blood is linked hand in hand with violence and death, this shows to the audience that this is a very real and physical death and in this way it is very tense and real in the viewer's mind.

Not long afterwards the ghost of Banquo enters the banquet and then proceeds to sit in Macbeth's place. Macbeth talk's unaware of the ghost's presence of how he had hoped that Banquo had attended the banquet, yet through the use of dramatic irony the audience knew of Banquo's murder yet the characters at the banquet did not.

'Were the graced person of our Banquo present,

Who may I rather challenge for unkindness

Than pity for mischance.'

It is Macbeth's apparent good spirit to want Banquo to attend the banquet, yet in reality the audience knows that this is purely to cover up his dirty deed, which makes this so satirical.

Macbeth's fear is seen as he becomes hysterical and panic stricken as the ghost of Banquo mystically appears and sits in his seat. He then speaks to the ghost,

'Thou canst not say I did it; never shake

Thy gory locks at me!'

Macbeth has already seen a dagger earlier in the play, he know believes he sees the ghost. Why he sees the ghost is a result of his guilt and remorse for what he has done. All these emotions have been brewing inside him and are released in the form of Banquo's ghost. In the theatre it is difficult to portray emotions such as guilt, as strongly as was needed in Macbeth. As a result Shakespeare uses the ghost as a second medium so that it is easy for the audience to feel this emotion and experience his fear and guilt. In this way tension is heightened and expressed more clearly.

Lady Macbeth's fear for her husband and the possibility he might say something condemning her and him in his fit of madness leads her to cover up the incident with an explanation for Macbeth's actions so as to put the Lord's mind's at rest.

'Sit, worthy friends. My Lord is often thus,

And hath been from his youth. Pray you, keep seat.

The fit is momentary; upon a thought

He will again be well.'

This moment is so incredibly tense for at any moment Macbeth fears that the ghost of Banquo has come to accuse him of its murder. Yet unwittingly he may reveal the truth of the matter to his guests. Macbeth could reveal the truth of Banquo's murder and the entire truth of Macbeth's evil doings could be exposed. This would mean ruin for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and this is what made the scene so tense and discomforting to the viewer.

Lady Macbeth rebukes Macbeth for his foolishness, fear and cowardice, but Macbeth still fears the ghost and feels guilt. The ghost leaves and Macbeth recovers his composure, yet he ponders on how the dead return.

Macbeth recovers his confidence, yet is shattered by the reappearance of Banquo's ghost. Once again the tension mounts and the audience is thrown into the thick of the action as Macbeth becomes wild and rash, he speaks through his confusion,

'Avaunt and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee!

Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;

Thou hast no speculation in those eyes

Which thou dost glare with.'

Lady Macbeth tries to cover up her husband assuring the Lord's that there is nothing to fear,

'Think of this, good peers,

But as a thing of custom. 'Tis no other,

Only it spoils the pleasure of the time.'

Lady Macbeth realises that the situation is only worsening so beckons the Lord's to leave. The atmosphere cools as the tension is calmed by the Lords departure from the stage. This signals the end of this tense scene leaving Macbeth and Lady Macbeth frightened and panicked.

This scene is one of the most tense in the entire play due to the techniques used by the writer, his uses of imagery, imagination and his creativity. The use of mediums such as the ghost of Banquo to get across the characters deepest expressions is a good method of harnessing the fear and anxiety in an atmosphere and this makes this scene so tense and exciting.

Duncan Spalding