Dramatic tension

A detailed Summary of Dramatic tension

Despite the fact that the audience does not see the murder of Duncan on stage, they still experience tension and excitement throughout the beginning of Act 2, when it is performed. How does Shakespeare create these effects on the audience?

Dramatic tension is a very important element in a successful play. Dramatic tension keeps the live audience exited and interested in the play. To make the play successful audience has to experience a range of emotions like happiness for the characters, sadness, suspense or horror.

In the play, murder of the king Duncan occurs between the scenes 1 and 2 in Act 2, however the audience does not see the murder of the king, because to it was illegal to show the treason against the king on stage. Shakespeare had to live out the scene in which the king was murdered, because it could have motivated someone to kill the king. Because the murder could not be performed on the stage Shakespeare had to find a different way to show the murder and to build up excitement and tension without actually showing the murder. Shakespeare uses darkness and supernatural things like visions, ghosts and witches to show that evil happenings are occurring or are about to take place.

The scene ends as Macbeth enters Duncan's chamber, and the audience is left to wonder what happens in Duncan's chamber.

The interest of the dagger is that it leads Macbeth towards the chamber by the presence of evil of the dagger being covered with blood. Then the bell rings and Macbeth stealthily proceeds up the staircase to Duncan's chamber. As Macbeth moves to murder Duncan, he is filled with evil images.

When the Banquo and Fleance exit the scene, Macbeth is left on his own, right at this moment he hears a bell which informs him that everyone is asleep and it's time to kill king Duncan. The ring of the bell would probably scare the audience and leave them in the state of the shock, as they know what ringing of the bell means they would get more exited, nervous and tense.

Before Duncan's murder, Macbeth imagines seeing a dagger floating in the air before him. He sees the dagger, which is covered in blood and floating in the direction of the king's chamber. At this point he starts a soliloquy, a speech by a character directed to the audience. He describes the dagger, "And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, Which was not so before. There's no such thing: It is the bloody business which informs Thus to mine eyes." This blood imagery means treason, ambition, and murder. He continues his speech, he speaks a long, drawn out sentences, which show that he is nervous. His speech is filled with evil images of death, blood, violence, supernatural elements and wild animals.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Banquo Fleance, Lady Macbeth, , Banquo Witches, Macbeth Duncan's, Macbeth Banquo, lady macbeth, Macbeth Macbeth, duncan's chamber, macbeth lady, chamber audience, macbeth lady macbeth, Macbeth Lady, duncan's chamber macbeth, duncan's chamber audience, murder king, scene macbeth, king duncan, filled evil images, tension suspense, supernatural forces air, play play, ringing bell,

Approximate Word count = 1088
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English