Act 3 Scene 4 A Turning Point For Macbeth
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Submitted by AngelRCH on 06/30/2008 05:21 PM
- Category: Psychology
- Words: 477
- Pages: 2
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Act 3 Scene 4 A Turning Point For Macbeth
There are many twists and turns of plot in Shakespeare's Macbeth. One of the most pivotal scenes is Act 3, Scene 4. In it, Macbeth's character makes a departure from the character we have seen in previous scenes. His guilt takes a toll on him, as Banquo's ghost makes an appearance during a dinner party. This scene shows Macbeth's growing mental imbalance, growing to a point where exposure of guilt to outsiders is indeed inevitable.
Macbeth's mental stability has been in question since near the beginning of the play. Even since the first murder was contemplated, Macbeth dealt with horrifying hallucinations. In Act 2 Scene 1, Macbeth fantasizes the dagger with which he plans to murder Duncan. He sees it covered with blood a horrifying vision. Yet it does not impair his ability to accomplish the task at hand. Relatively undaunted, he proceeds to murder Duncan. The subsequent guilt is strong, but not overpowering. Macbeth's murder of Duncan, though cruel and brutal, was reasonable in the general scheme of Macbeth's master plan. Banquo's murder, however, was not so rational.
When Macbeth murdered Banquo, he really had nothing to gain. He gained no rank or office, but it was merely his own guilty conscience and paranoia that drove him to murder. This murder affected him to the point that he began again to have hallucinations. This time, however, they were not so controllable. The main difference in this scene from all previous scenes is the magnitude of Macbeth's compromised mental state. He can not conceal his fit; he loses it in front of all his friends and colleagues in his own home.
This is the major reason why Act 3 Scene 4 is such a turning point. Up until this time, he has been able to conceal his guilt and mental collapse from everyone but his wife, his own partner in crime. In this scene, however, Macbeth has a mental breakdown for all to see. He sees Banquo's ghost seated at his place at the table, and loses...
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