Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4

This is the scene in which Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo. The Thanes of Scotland attend the castle for a feast. Macbeth has recently learned that Banquo is dead, and that Fleance has escaped. After toasting the Thanes, Macbeth's behaviour becomes strange and unnerving to the guests as he sees an apparition of the ghost of Banquo. The guests are both mystified and concerned about Macbeth's behaviour. Lady Macbeth protests that Macbeth has suffered incidents such as these since he was a youth - 'My Lord is often thus, And hath been from his youth' - in order to account for his unusual behaviour. In the end her husband's worrying behaviour forces Lady Macbeth to ask the Thanes to leave, telling them 'Questions enrage him. At once, good night'. The Thanes leave and wish Macbeth 'better health'. Lady Macbeth has previoulsy tried to calm Macbeth, telling him 'when all's done, you look but on a stool', however Lady Macbeth could not see the ghost either so is just as confused by Macbeth's behaviour as the Thanes. Later, when the two are alone, Macbeth plans the murder of Macduff, and decides to meet with the witches. This scene show's Macbeth's spiral into madness as the severity of the apparitions that he sees are escalating. First, a dagger, and now a ghost. This escalation in the severity of his visions concurs with his downwards spiral into madness.