Why does Shakespeare leave out the description of King Duncan's murder in Ma

Question:I've always wondered why this scene occurred offstage. It would be a good scene if it was described, rather than learning about it from Lady Macbeth's viewpoint.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I've always wondered why this scene occurred offstage. It would be a good scene if it was described, rather than learning about it from Lady Macbeth's viewpoint.

Couple reasons I can think of. First, we know what MacBeth is doing in the room, so really there isn't any reason for the audience to see it. I agree with the idea that what you don't see is sometimes more frightening than what you do see because our imaginations are a little nuts. Not to mention, Shakespeare had people of all social levels in his audiences at the same time. He took that moment to break the tension of the play a bit and appeal to the "meaner" sense of humor with the gatekeeper who comes in as MacBeth is killing Duncan. Mostly, I just think that it isn't really something that helps the plot towards a climax. We see him go to do it, and we see him come from doing it, that's all we need. Now if we missed the big battle between him and MacDuff and the end, then THAT would be anti-climactic.

Also, the device of not seeing the violence but having it described later on by another character is a characteristic of Greek theatre, who allowed no violence onstage. Shakespeare just used it where he thought it was most effective.

Probably because, like all the best horror scenarios, it's what you DON'T see that is far scarier than what you do. This way, he left it to the imagination of his audience.
Or it could be quite simply the difficulties of staging it in 16th Century England.