Banquet Scene in Macbeth
The Banquet Scene in Scene III act Iv presents a masterly mingling of elements through which are shown the development of the plot, a crucial phase in the moral degeneration of Macbeth, and the dissipation of order into chaos which becomes increasingly prominent in the play.
Shakespeare presents a popular spectacle on the stage in the form of Banquo’s ghost in Macbeth, which subsequently has come to generate numerous debates, readings and, of course, presentation on both the stage and the celluloid. Whether the ghost of Banquo is subjective or objective is variously debated, and the best way to judging this is to appreciate the scene from the chair of an audience at the theatre, not from the easy chair of a reader at home. Some critics are of the opinion that the ghost is an objective reality. Other critics thinks that the scene is a subjective presentation of Macbeth's inner Psyche. On the stage the ghost is visible only to Macbeth and the audience, both of whom understand the cruelty involved in the act of murder, while the other characters are supposed to be unaware of its presence. So it said that the ghost is the projection of Macbeth's own sense of guilt and fear. Otherwise it would be visible to others.
The Banquet Scene opens at the royal hall of Scotland with the banquet ready celebrating Macbeth’s coronation. The audience find the couple now at the height of double-dealing, and detect in the opening words of the new king tinge of irony: “You know your own degrees…” The fact is that it is Macbeth who has forgotten his degree, his limitation as a human being. Therefore, the arrival of Banquo as a ghost is necessary to expose this treacherous person. But before that, treachery has been highlighted in the act of offering the banquet. one may detect here an ironic reversal of the Last Supper offered by Christ, the Saviour. In fact, Macbeth’s act of murdering the king and thus violating the moral order is re-enacted in his consecration of such a sacred ritual as offering a communal feast, a ritual which has been looked upon as a gesture of faith and fraternal bond existing in the community every where and always in the human culture.
Now let us discuss what was actually happened in the banquet scene. As Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are welcoming their guests to the feast, one murders come Terrified Macbeth begins to talk to the door and reports to Macbeth the death of Banquo and the escape of Fleance. When Macbeth returns to the table he finds Banquo 's ghost. Terrified Macbeth begins to talk incoherently with the ghost. Lady Macbeth takes hold of the situation and tries to pacify him. Macbeth draws his wife's attention to Macduff's absence at the feast and further forms her of his wishing to meet the witches again.
The Scene introducing the supernatural elements in the form of Banquo's ghost .It is dramatically effective in terms of scene. It furthers depicts the development of both the characters. As for Lady Macbeth we find in this scene her final appearance as a sane woman. Throughout the scene she displays her loyalty to her husband and rare resourcefulness. All her qualities come into contact when Macbeth creates the awkward situation at the sight of Banquo's ghost. She shows her practicality by offering the guests a reasonable explanation for her husband's actions. Finally she too begins to show reaction to the strain after Duncan’s murder. On the other hand the scene also shows us the inner conflict of Macbeth's mind. He has sense of guilt and fear of discovery. A guilty conscience hunts him and the fear has also made him so much suspicious and desperate that he plans to commit additional crimes.
Banquo’s ghost plays an important and integral role in the development of the tragic action of the play and in bringing about the nemesis of Macbeth. The elements of irony ,hypocrisy,prophecy,usurpation surface in this brief but powerful scene. The conversation between husband and wife strewn with reference to the word 'man' directs attention to the notion of 'manhood’, ‘manliness' and 'humanity’. It also shows the moral degeneration wrought in Macbeth and the depth to which he can descends in his pursuit of power.
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