Paolimarie Alcantara
Prof. Abbotson
English 200W
17 April 2023
The Downfall of Macbeth William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, published in 1606, tells the story of a Scottish man named Macbeth who receives a prophecy from three witches telling him he will become king. To ensure that this happens and because of his desire for power, Macbeth kills the current king, Duncan, so he can take the throne for himself. This makes Macbeth feel guilty and paranoid which leads to his eventual downfall. Act three scene four of the play we really get to explore the state of Macbeth's mentality when he hosts a banquet in celebration of his newfound status as king of Scotland. The feast takes a dark turn when Macbeth starts hallucinating causing him to act erratically and lash out at his guests. This scene serves as a powerful
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In the scene before this one, Macbeth hired two murderers to kill Banquo because he didn’t want the prophecy the witches gave him to come true. So to stop Banquo’s sons from inheriting the throne he was killed right before the banquet. The murderer informs Macbeth that the assignment is done, but that Fleance, Banquo's son, has escaped, which upsets Macbeth because he believes he will return to avenge his father. When it is time for Macbeth to sit down he finds that his seat is taken by the ghost of Banquo and thinks that he is blaming him for his death. “Which of you have done this / Thou canst not say I did it: never shake” (3.4.60-62). This scene is effective in its use of tension and suspense, as the audience is kept on edge by Macbeth’s increasingly erratic behavior and the appearance of the ghost. The dramatic effectiveness of this scene is enhanced when Macbeth starts talking to the ghost and his guests have no idea what is going on except the audience because they can see the ghost which can create tension and unease for