Final answer:
King Duncan's murder in Macbeth takes place off-stage to heighten dramatic tension and focus on the psychological effects of the crime, which aligns with the Original Practices of Elizabethan theater and enhances the tragedy's impact on the audience.
Step-by-step explanation:
The murder of King Duncan in Shakespeare's Macbeth occurs off-stage, which is a deliberate storytelling choice that has a significant impact on the play and its audience. This decision heightens the dramatic tension and focuses attention on the psychological effects of the murder, rather than the act itself, which amplifies the horror through the characters' reactions, especially Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's subsequent descent into guilt and madness. Additionally, the absence of graphic violence allows for a more universal and timeless representation of the theme of regicide and its consequences, forcing the audience to imagine the event, which can be more powerful than showing it directly.
In Elizabethan theatre, gruesome acts like murder were often implied rather than depicted visually. This method aligns with the Original Practices of the time to stimulate the audience's imagination and let the weight of the characters' words and emotions carry the significance of the action. The absence of explicit violence also meant that the play could focus more on the themes, character development, and moral questions raised by Duncan's murder.
Shakespeare's choice contributes to the overall experience of the play, evoking feelings of pity and fear which are essential to the cathartic process outlined by Aristotle's theory of tragedy. It is not merely the act of murder but the impact it has on the characters and the realm that forms the crux of the play's tragic narrative, thus fulfilling the artistic inevitability that makes Macbeth resonate deeply with its audience.