MacBeth's Loss of Innoncence

This time due to a cowardly action committed out of selfish fear. It is no surprise to me that Banquo’s ghost haunts Macbeth at this table since Macbeth called for two murders to kill him and his son. Banquo’s ghost appearing shows that Macbeth felt guilt and that he was not the completely heartless monster that he appeared to become. When Banquo's bloody ghost sits at the table with the lords, Macbeth tries to believe that he did not kill banquo. “ Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake Thy gory locks at me.” (III,iv,53-54). Macbeth’s episode with Banquo’s ghost reveals how the quest for power had driven his mind into pure insanity. This powerful hallucination driven from the little heart left in Macbeth proved to all the lords that Macbeth’s mind was gone, and that he was not fit to

The Tragedy of Macbeth opens in a desert place with thunder and lightning and three Witches who are anticipating their meeting with Macbeth, "There to meet with Macbeth." They all say together the mysterious and contradictory "Fair is foul, and foul is fair." King Duncan learns that "brave Macbeth" and Banquo are bravely resisting the "Norweyan banners" and the rebellious Thane of Cawdor. When these forces are vanquished, Duncan bids Ross to greet Macbeth with his new

He realizes that if he want to start his own dynasty, then he will have to have control of all the variables. Then Macbeth began to think, “For Banquo’s issues have I filed my mind;/ For them the gracious Duncan I have murdered” (Shakespeare 85). He realizes that he has set himself up to fail. He is cleared a path to the crown for Banquo’s kin. Macbeth goes on to state, “He chid the sisters/ When first they put the name of king upon me” (Shakespeare 85). This give the readers the thought that Banquo is jealous of the king. Macbeth, not wanting to risk his crown, calls for some outside murderers. As I stated earlier, Macbeth knew he must get rid of Banquo and his sons. He succeeds in having Banquo killed, but Banquo’s son, Fleance (the one person Macbeth needed to kill), escapes.

But, later on in the play we learn by the witched that Banquo's descendants will become King and that they will prosper. It says “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none”, when Macbeth learns about this and hears about it he is scared and then eventually considers Banquo as a threat to him to become King. So Macbeth has to come up with a solution to this and eventually comes up with the solution that he must murder Banquo and his son Fleance. He gets two murders to go out and murder Banquo and his son while they are walking so that his promise of becoming king will not be in jeopardy. This is an ironic act of betrayal because Macbeth and Banquo have been friends for a long time and have done everything together. Banquo was not just his friend he was also the co-commander of the army and had some power in Scotland.

After everyone has found out that the king is dead Banquo suspects Macbeth of doing something to make the witches predictions that they ways saying to become true. At that time Macbeth is king so he turns on his best friend Banquo and has him and all of his family including Fleance killed because he was the only person there when the predictions of Macbeth becoming king and also the witches said that Banquos son Fleance would become king too. So this shows that that Macbeth is getting over protective of his crown to the throne so he will do anything to stop people becoming king. So he will kill he’s best friend and his family only because the three withes said that predictions of Macbeth becoming king. So Macbeth is going into a downward spiral towards great darkness and becoming ever more evil from every action he makes and does to protect the crown.

After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth is titled the King of Scotland. Having Macbeth murder Duncan to become King makes it seem to Macbeth that he can control his own fate. This only makes it worse for Macbeth, because it is now engraved in his mind that murder can change fate. Now that Duncan is taken care of, it is Banquo that Macbeth is worried about, for Macbeth is convinced that Banquo knows too much because he was the only other person with him when the witches prophesized his fate. It’s not only Banquo that Macbeth wants to murder, he also wants to change the prophecy of Banquo’s descendants becoming Kings by murdering them as well, as he states “To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!;/ Rather than so, come fate into the list,;/ And champion me to th’ utterance.” (III, I, 70-73). This line directly shows that Macbeth now thinks he is in control, and that he can challenge fate by murdering the sons of Banquo to change what the witch’s prophesized for the descendants of Banquo to become kings.

Another way that the theme of ‘Fair is foul and foul is fair’ proffers itself is through the deception of King Duncan by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This deception is even worse because of Duncan’s trust in Macbeth, so as Lady Macbeth quotes; ‘Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.’ Duncan is not suspicious because as Macbeth quotes in his soliloquy; ‘He’s here in double trust: First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; then as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself.’ It is doubly ironic that Duncan should trust and praise Macbeth so highly when he says to Lady Macbeth; ‘See, see, our honor’d hostess! The love that follows us sometime is our trouble, which still we thank as love. Herein I teach you how you shall bid God ‘ild us for your pains, and thank us for your trouble;’ and also that Duncan should replace a

Macbeth is involved with many different people including those whom he ends up having murdered. Macbeth and Banquo, for example, have a good and strong military relationship and friendship. The fact that they are cousins makes their relationship extremely unique in many ways. When the Witches are there to tell Macbeth about his future, Banquo keeps a steady head almost to the point where he is starting to become more worried about his own future and powers, not what is being told to Macbeth. Banquo then proceeds to ask the witches about his own future to which they respond by telling him “ Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none”(I,iii,67). This reveals that Banquo might not exactly become king, but his children will, which angers Macbeth later on. Once Macbeth becomes king and Banquo has suspicions about how he obtained power, Macbeth then changes the relationship between the two by going after Banquo and his son Fleance with hired murderers. This again allows for the Witches to change how those in the relationship act and turn against one another shocking many. It is believed that Macbeth and Banquo are good friends until shortly after the

Macbeth fears Banquo’s descendents will take his kingship. He thinks that Banquo should be murdered to stop it from happening, “And though I could / With barefaced power sweep him from my sight / And bid my will avouch it” (3.1.134-136). In the quote, Macbeth is says that he would kill Banquo and offer his desire for Banquo’s death as sufficient justification for killing him (Shakespeare 88). Macbeth does not murder Banquo but cons murderers into committing the violence. Macbeth is not thinking clearly though because he would know that violence only breeds more violence. The murderers kill Banquo and further continue the

Macbeth is feeling paranoid after the witches tell a prophecy that Banquo’s son will inherit the throne, after he has passed away. Macbeth wants his descendants to inherit the throne not Banquo’s. So, Macbeth then hires three murderers to kill Banquo. At his dinner, after he is crowned the king, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost because of his guilty conscience. Macbeth starts to yell at the ghost saying he can not prove it is him who did it, “Thou canst not say I did it./ Never shake/ Thy gory locks at me” (3.4.61-62) When Macbeth freaks out and has a panic attack at the table, Lady Macbeth covers for him and tells the guests that he acts like this at times. Even though Macbeth hires men to kill Banquo, the blood is still on his hands. It is his idea to kill Banquo, and now he can feel even guiltier about what he has done. Macbeth is going insane feeling all this guilt and it is making him see ghosts. Macbeth is thinking that Banquo would become suspicious of Duncan’s murder. He did not want Banquo getting in his

After he is named king, Macbeth's misery and eventual downfall is caused by his own insecurities and misguided determination to take control of his future. Firstly, the witches' prophecy concerning Banquo's descendants and Macbeth's feeling of inferiority to Banquo lead Macbeth to arrange for the murder of Banquo and his son, Fleance. Having Banquo around him is a constant reminder to Macbeth of the evil deed he himself has committed and the knowledge that Banquo's, not Macbeth's children, will be

At the end of Act 1 Scene 3 Macbeth tries to open out to Banquo. Since

After Duncan's assassination is discovered on the morning and when the questions began being asked, Macbeth being very inexperienced in deception is constantly over playing his role, and going overboard with his lies and deceptions, which Lady Macbeth has to bail him out on. Then when Macbeth orders the death of Banquo and his son, he does so with some reservations on commiting the action, but because of the prophecy leads him to believes he has no other choice. The prophecy of Macbeth becoming King and Banquo’s children also becoming kings has taken over almost all of Macbeth time, because he does not wish to relinquish the crown to

Shakespeare's use of imagery and detail “conjure up scenes of oceans and rivers of blood and pitch black nights without starlight”(Quote Credit). As Macbeth grapples with his conscience after he kills Banquo, because of his suspicion of King Duncan’s murder, he starts to see daggers and the phantom of his closest companion before him.This leads to people starting to question Macbeth’s mental stability. Macbeth additionally orders Banquo's son, Fleance,to be killed because of the witches proposal that Banquo “shalt get kings, though thou be none,” this shows that Macbeth's desire for power causes him to be paranoid and to kill one of his closest companions, as well as his son, if it were not for the desire of power that he is engulfed in (Quote Credit). The killings of Banquo and his son help highlight how far someone would go and that people will surrender their own personal morals to

As the play progresses, Macbeth begins to make unhinged decisions that are pre-emptive to protect his status, ultimately resulting in his paranoia. Macbeth’s rash choice to kill Banquo reflects the unreasonable turn his actions take, as his crazed behavior is beginning to show. Banquo being alive agitates Macbeth to the point he feels “in such bloody distance,/ That every minute of his being thrusts/ Against my near’st of life” (3.1.128-130). Banquo is not posing a major threat to Macbeth’s ruling, however Macbeth feels the need to kill him in order to have a sense of security. He does this by manipulating murderers, a needless preventative deed that further highlights Macbeth’s paranoia. The fact that Macbeth hires