In Act III, Scene IV, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth enter as king and queen and welcome their guests to their banquet. Banquo's ghost suddenly appears, and Macbeth begins to speak to him, though he is invisible to the rest of the crowd. Banquo's ghost seems to act as Macbeth's "inner monster" that he is unable to get rid of. In this scene, the audience is exposed to how Macbeth's guilt and self-doubt are deeply affecting him. His inner conscience is overshadowing his ruthless and masked exterior. Since we are in the middle of Act III, this scene can be considered the climax of the play, as it is the point where Macbeth's unsureness is portrayed to the rest of the characters and his entire kingdom. From here on, Macbeth's downfall can only follow. Though up until this scene, Lady Macbeth's words have always managed to convince Macbeth to mask his self-doubt and act like "a man", this is the first time where her words fail. Despite her desperate attempts to stop him: "O proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear.", Macbeth is incapable of letting go of his vision. Furthermore, this scene illustrates how Lady Macbeth's strength is crucial to the maintenance of their throne, as she is the one who must always cover for her husband and rid herself of all emotions that could possibly lead to failure. Moreover, the audience has yet to wonder if Banquo's ghost is real or a part of Macbeth's inner demons (like the witches or the imaginary dagger). Banquo's ghost could also be a recurring image of the seed or serpent (which represent Macbeth's guilt and self-doubt) that keep growing and never seem to die. Choosing wether or not to have an actor portray Banquo's ghost will affect the audience's recection of the play. In my opinion, if the ghost is truly acted out, Macbeth's vision will somehow be "shared" with the rest of the audience and the guests at his banquet. However, if the ghost is invisible to everyone but Macbeth, his loss of sanity and lack of strength of character will be more prominent. The dramatic effect of this scene would be stronger. It would also illustrate to the fullest Macbeth's tragic flaw: his "vaulting ambition".
In Act III, Scene IV, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth enter as king and queen and welcome their guests to their banquet. Banquo's ghost suddenly appears, and Macbeth begins to speak to him, though he is invisible to the rest of the crowd. Banquo's ghost seems to act as Macbeth's "inner monster" that he is unable to get rid of. In this scene, the audience is exposed to how Macbeth's guilt and self-doubt are deeply affecting him. His inner conscience is overshadowing his ruthless and masked exterior. Since we are in the middle of Act III, this scene can be considered the climax of the play, as it is the point where Macbeth's unsureness is portrayed to the rest of the characters and his entire kingdom. From here on, Macbeth's downfall can only follow. Though up until this scene, Lady Macbeth's words have always managed to convince Macbeth to mask his self-doubt and act like "a man", this is the first time where her words fail. Despite her desperate attempts to stop him: "O proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear.", Macbeth is incapable of letting go of his vision.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, this scene illustrates how Lady Macbeth's strength is crucial to the maintenance of their throne, as she is the one who must always cover for her husband and rid herself of all emotions that could possibly lead to failure. Moreover, the audience has yet to wonder if Banquo's ghost is real or a part of Macbeth's inner demons (like the witches or the imaginary dagger). Banquo's ghost could also be a recurring image of the seed or serpent (which represent Macbeth's guilt and self-doubt) that keep growing and never seem to die. Choosing wether or not to have an actor portray Banquo's ghost will affect the audience's recection of the play. In my opinion, if the ghost is truly acted out, Macbeth's vision will somehow be "shared" with the rest of the audience and the guests at his banquet. However, if the ghost is invisible to everyone but Macbeth, his loss of sanity and lack of strength of character will be more prominent. The dramatic effect of this scene would be stronger. It would also illustrate to the fullest Macbeth's tragic flaw: his "vaulting ambition".