ABSTRACT
In the rasa pattern of the play, bhayānaka emerges as the prominent aṅga (supporting) rasa. The word ‘fear’ is mentioned over 50 times and often in relation to Macbeth. Macbeth fears the very deed and at times its consequences too. Yet the cause of Macbeth’s fear cannot be specified with certainty. At the end of the play, the spectator realises that it is karuṇa that has moved him more than bhaya. Fear is most often confined to Macbeth’s frenzied imagination and is not fully conveyed to the spectator. The sahṛdaya’s reaction to Macbeth’s fear is in terms of karuṇa. His fear, irrational deeds and their consequences all cause karuṇa as bhaya and śoka are closely aligned in him. The express mention of the word ‘fear’ making it svaśabdavācya hinders it from being dhvani and the bhāva of bhaya is not developed to a pradhāna rasa. All rasas effectively lead on to karuṇa giving the play a unity that is perceived mainly on the emotional plane. As the situations unfold, karuṇa evolves to be the pradhāna rasa of the piece and bhayānaka the main subordinate rasa.
