People always say that food is the great equalizer. Food brings people from alternate backgrounds together at a table to share something that both can't live without. Foster states that act of sharing food with someone is equivalent to sharing peace of trying to understand and get on the good side of other characters. This struggle can be seen throughout the infamous play Macbeth. During the play, Macbeth becomes "drunk" off the "visions" the three witches give him. Macbeth will do everything in his power to be the King and Thane of Cawdor, even if that means killing a close acquaintance, Banquo.
The main dining scene that takes place in Macbeth takes place in Act III, Scene IV. Macbeth throws a lavish dinner party to boast about his rise to thrown. The reason he invites and chooses to share his bread with other people is the old saying "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer". Macbeth chooses this act of communion of sharing food purely for his own selfish lust for power. However; this lavish dinner party takes a quick turn for the worst, Macbeth check on the "hitmen" he hired to kill Banquo and thinks that by killing him that will get his problems out of the way. Macbeth soon becomes haunted by the ghost of Banquo during the dinner service and Lady Macbeth tries to justify his actions of insanity as a inflicted disease he has had since a young boy. This meal scene is an example of unsuccessful communion. The goal was to establish a tight-knit and close relationship with his guest so that they would then trust Macbeth and he would then gain more power. Seeing how efficiently and how the strengthening of ties between the thanes by making it look like Macbeth was calm, cool, and collected doesn't work at all. The Macbeth example of communion does more tearing apart the mind, marriages, and power than bringing them together.
You will never look at another social gathering in literature in the same way. EVER!
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