To Have a Ghost or Not Have A ghost, That Is the Question If someone claimed that they say a ghost, would anyone believe him? Would people think that he is insane? This is what happens in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Macbeth sends two goons to kill Banquo, he hosts a banquet. After the two goons successfully murder Banquo by slitting his throat, he gets ready to sit at the table. When he sat down at the table, out came the ghost of Banquo. He then starts to freak out, and Lady Macbeth ends up ending the banquet early. As time goes on, Macbeth begins to hallucinate, moving further and further into madness. There are two methods by which this scene could be portrayed; the actor playing the ghost could be visible to the audience on stage or another possible option being, he could be held offstage, invisible to the audience. Some people say it is a better and effective strategy to have the ghost on stage; however it will …show more content…
Macbeth is haunted by the ghost of Banquo at the banquet. However, it appears that Macbeth is the only individual who can see the ghost. When the ghost of Banquo enters the banquet hall, Macbeth says, “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!” (3. 4. 93-96). This states that Macbeth now knows that Banquo is dead and he is in ghost form.Therefore, by the time Macbeth has been crowned king, he has descended into utter madness. He is completely unconscious of being in the presence of other people and speaks to the ghost of Banquo as if they were alone. His actions here are different to his actions immediately after he murders King Duncan, where he was aware of his behavior when witnesses were present. Moreover, readers, it is unclear whether the ghost of Banquo is real or if he is a part of Macbeth’s imagination and a display of his