Question

3. In Act III, scene iv, Macbeth hallucinates that the ghost of Banquo appears next to him when he is at a dinner party. Later in Act V, scene i, Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees blood on her hands that she cannot wash off. Explain how the author's use of these characters' hallucinations creates tension in the play.

Answer 1

Answer and explanation:

In Shakespeare's "Macbeth," the protagonist and his wife's hallucinations reflect the sense of guilt that is eating them inside and driving them mad. They feel such remorse over murdering everyone who stands in the way of becoming king and queen, that although they try to hide it, their minds cannot cope with it anymore. As a result, even though they exhibit their kind sides in public at first and pretend to be nice, their culpability cannot remain unseen at last. As a consequence, their darkness begins makes them have visions and reveal signs of mental concern.

Answer 2

The author's use of these characters' hallucinations creates tension in the play because the guilt that they have from killing the king earlier in the book. The blood is from the imaginary daggers that Macbeth sees but are not there in front of him.