The Ghost of Guilt

In nearly all of his plays, Shakespeare masterfully displays the interior conflict of the central characters with shrewd use of language.  In my experience, the character of Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth proves no different.  In one particular scene, Macbeth, recently named king, hosts a banquet for a myriad of notable figures; the new ruler's attitude at first resembles hospitality as he mentions to his wife, "Ourself will mingle with society / And play the humble host" (3.4.4-5).  Moments later, the murderers that Macbeth had hired to kill Banquo arrive.  After the murderers reveal that they have killed Banquo, but not Fleace, Macbeth makes an aside, "Then comes my fit again.  I had else been perfect, [...] But now I am cabined, cribbled, confined, bound in / To saucy doubts and fears" (3.4.23, 26-27).  Externally, Macbeth epitomizes self-confidence; internally, however, the tragic protagonist battles insecurity--caused by guilt.  Shakespeare, by using this language, creates a tension between these two versions of Macbeth.  This helps the reader, or viewer, note the contrast between the appearance of Macbeth and the character's inner reality.  Furthermore, Macbeth's guilt and mental insecurity fill to the brim; they become so intense that he can no longer appear normal physically.  He sees the ghost of Banquo appear at the banquet table while no one else can.  He speaks directly to the ghost, in plain sight of others, saying, "Thou canst not say I did it.  Never shake / thy gory locks at me" (3.4.61-62).

One interpretation of Banquo's Ghost at the Banquet

Ross, one of the guests, remarks "Gentlemen, rise.  His Highness is not well" (3.4.63).  Clearly, Macbeth's guilt has eaten away at his conscience; he can no longer suppress it and it causes his public appearance to change drastically.

While I appreciated reading this vital moment in Macbeth, I found that I enjoyed watching in class even more.  At first, Macbeth addresses the crowd with a friendliness that seems unbreakable.  Yet, right after he receives word that Fleance has escaped, his facial expression changes almost instantly.  In this one moment, the fear and guilt of Macbeth reaches the surface.  He manages to collect himself for a few moments, but when he sees Banquo's ghost at the table, he becomes visibly anxious once again. This moment inspired, in me, a love of Shakespeare.  A scene that seems quite simple can adopt a new complexity when analyzed by a group or by a director.