“And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood
which was not so before” This gives the audience the impression of blood dripping from the dagger; this could be the blood of Duncan.
This creates images of the horror to come.
In act 2, scene 2, were the murder of Duncan takes place. The audience should be on the edge of their seats by now, wondering if Macbeth will actually have the nerve to murder his king.
Lady Macbeth drugs the guards and takes their daggers. She then lays them ready for Macbeth. She says she would have murdered Duncan herself “if he had not resembled her father”. She seems to be making excuses and it seems strange that she is desperate for Macbeth to kill the king but she will not do it her self. Then Macbeth returns having murdered Duncan.
This has to be the most violent and intense part of the play although we do no actually witness the murder of King Duncan. It is interesting that Shakespeare chooses to have Macbeth kill Duncan offstage. We can only guess why he wrote the scene that way, I think that Shakespeare wanted to focus not on the murder but on Macbeth’s reaction to it; the bloody details supplied by the audiences imaginations will be much worse than anything that could be done onstage. Using the audiences imagination has been used in many modern day movies, probably the best example would be that of the Blair Witch Project. It is also the most crucial part of the play; it is the first of many murders. This scene takes place at night; I feel the darkness represents what is unnatural, cruel and evil. Everything that happens within the play appears to revolve around this particular scene. Not only is this important because it contains the murderous act, it also conveys to the audience the rapid disintegration of the relationship between the two main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
The tension increases dramatically when we see Lady Macbeth pacing about in a nervous but excited state, awaiting Macbeth’s return. We get a peek at Lady Macbeth’s softer side. She says that she would have killed Duncan herself, but the old man looked too much like her father. This small reminder of Lady Macbeth’s humanity will be important to our understanding of what happens to her at the end of the play.
As she waits, she decides that she heard a screech owl, and she takes that as a good omen, because the screech owl is nature’s own ‘fatal bellman’. A ‘fatal bellman’ would emphasize the idea of death/ execution in the audience’s minds, which makes it even more eerie, ‘He’s at it’. This particular part of this scene has to be the climax of the play. When Macbeth and his wife are re-united, they are both highly charged with nervous energy and excitement. Macbeth and his wife at first do not speak in sentences. Their speech is syncopated and highly charged emotions tell the audience all is not well. The fact that Macbeth still has hold of the daggers intensifies the tension felt in the scene. His hands would be covered in blood, which would make the drama explosive. Macbeth however, describes the horrors of the murder and cannot seem to believe he has committed such an evil crime, ‘This is a sorry sight’.
Thoughts of the murder plague his mind. He appears transfixed and very troubled by his deeds. Whilst Lady Macbeth in a way mocks him, she remains steadfast and tells him to ‘Go get some water, and wash this filthy witness from your hand’. Macbeth does not agree with her. He knows he will never be cleansed of this vile deed. Macbeth says, ‘Not all great Neptune’s ocean can wash then clean’. Lady Macbeth mocks her husband for dwelling upon the murderous act.
Macbeth and his wife seem to lose their rapport; Shakespeare makes it obvious to the audience that Macbeth has the weaker spirit and that the relationship is rapidly falling apart. He shows this via the nervous ramblings of Macbeth, he appears to have lost all insight, whereas Lady Macbeth appears to have become more evil, calculating and in control. Tension is increased by the thought of the words heard by Macbeth, whilst committing the murder, ‘Glamis hath murther’d sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more’. Is this yet another of the witches prophesies?
The tension is increased yet again by the loud knocking on the door. Macbeth in his highly anxious state knows now, weather is crime is found out or not, he will never be cleansed of this murderous act. He says, ‘Not all great Neptune’s ocean can wash them clean’. A midst all this tension, Lady Macbeth keeps her head. In her highly nervous state, she is aware that it is still possible; that their evil acts may be discovered. Lady Macbeth returns the bloodstained daggers to Duncan’s grooms. Shakespeare makes the audience aware of how much more confident than Macbeth she is by taking control of the situation. Macbeth is still in turmoil after the murder of Duncan.
Shakespeare makes it known that the relationship between Macbeth and his wife is beginning to disintegrate almost immediately. Macbeth appears to be losing his mind, whilst Lady Macbeth remains evil, cold, calculating and in control.
The repetition of knocks increases the tension more so, Lady Macbeth appears agitated and ushers her disturbed husband to his chamber, where they can rid themselves of the signs of their horrific acts.
Shakespeare’s use of language and structure manages to create tension right up to the murder of King Duncan. He manages to gradually build it up and then release it a little, and then increase it until finally the act of regicide takes place. His use of dramatic irony, the supernatural and indecision all combine to keep the audience on the edge of their seats throughout these scenes. His use of the right language in the right places helps the characters and the play to become really believable.
