In which ways does Shakespeare build up a mood of tension and horror in the scenes? Essay

I think that Shakespeare built up a mood of tension and horror in the scenes by using particular scenes with a kind of situation ‘Will he? Wont he?’ which builds up the tension incredibly. Act I scene VII is the scene where Macbeth makes the decision even if not his own, that he will kill King Duncan. Though Macbeth wasn’t ready for Lady Macbeth’s fury. She calls him a coward and mocks his masculinity, ‘When you durst do it, then you were a man’ Mentally beaten by his wife and persuaded by her mockery, Macbeth makes his makes his final verdict. This part creates tension in the form of Macbeth’s uncertainty. Act II, scene I starts off the horror and the tension, of the murder, by using that point in time as ‘midnight’. The witches haven’t just disturbed Macbeth, as Banquo grasps his sword whilst crossing the courtyard as he heard a noise. You can tell that Macbeth is distressed as he answers very little to Banquo and it clearly shows when he leaves. When Macbeth hallucinates, seeing a dagger before him, ‘A dagger of the mind, a false creation’ Shakespeare increases the tension in this scene by using language that is full of references to blood and darkness, ‘And on thy blade, and dungeon, gouts of blood, Which was not so before?’ The dagger goes then returns, but on its return Macbeth notices that it is of his own dagger covered in blood which increases the horror, the handle pointing towards his hand, inviting him towards King Duncan’s chamber. The dagger was basically giving him a step by step guide to committing regicide. Macbeth’s final words before regicide are very dramatic, ‘I go, and it is done’ This creates images of what is about to come. Lady Macbeth goes and gets the scene ready for Macbeth by framing the guards, she drugs them and takes their daggers. In act II, scene II the murder of King Duncan takes place and fear and regret dominates the scene. Macbeth returns with the guard’s two daggers which he was meant to of left at the scene to frame the guards, this creates both tension and horror as the audience doesn’t know if they will be found out. Lady Macbeth then takes control of the situation by taking them back herself. When she returns she is fuming and begins to call her husband a coward. But to add to the tension Macbeth can’t wash the blood off his hands which shows regret and guilt; Macbeth compares his hands to the seas of Neptune, ‘Will all great Neptune’ Ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?’ Saying that his blood will turn Neptune’s Ocean from green to red, ‘The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one, red’ But then Lady Macbeth tries to reassure him by saying ‘My hands are of your colour: but I shame to wear a heart so white’ They hear knocking at a door so Lady Macbeth tells him to go and put on his night gown and forget what has just happened but it is easier said than done! Macbeth believes that he is outside the Christian world as he couldn’t say ‘amen’ also that he will never sleep again because regicide is a sin. The knocking at the end of the scene creates suspense because it plays on the audience’s fear of discovery.