The character Banquo, in my opinion, is a brave and honourable man, possessing unwavering loyalty to those he acknowledges as superior to him in the Great Chain of Being. Like Macbeth, Banquo is influenced by his own curiosity and inner desires. He contains the same ‘vaulting ambition’ as Macbeth but it is his restraint and ability to fight against temptation that leads him to choose the safer path, one without murder and betrayal. Unfortunately for Banquo, it leads to his assassination.
I would portray Banquo as a very straightforward man with great respect for his superiors. I see him as someone who isn’t meant to stand out but is noticed for his integrity, nonetheless. In the scene when they find King Duncan dead and look to find the murderer, Banquo initially suspects that it was Macbeth, but it is his loyalty to his friend that stops him from calling Macbeth out. It was later in Act 3; Scene 1, when Banquo was talking to Macbeth that he confronts him about the murder. “Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all/ As the weird women promised, and I fear/ Thou played’st most foully for’t.”
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It left him vulnerable. For example, Banquo didn’t consider it possible that Macbeth would have him murdered as well. However, his honour does make Banquo a very sympathetic figure for a number of reasons. Firstly, Banquo is motivated by a noble cause... his children. The audience can sympathize with him and the love he has for his children. Secondly, the audience can relate to Banquo because he has the attributes of a regular person, more so than might exist in reality. Finally, the audience also sympathizes with Banquo because he was murdered by his supposed
Macbeth’s first attempt at manipulation was unsuccessful. “If you shall cleave to my consent, when ‘tis/ it shall make honor for you.” (II, i). Macbeth is trying to get Banquo to join him because he suspects Banquo may know about the murder of Duncan. Banquo is decent and doesn’t trust the witches’ prophecies so he chooses not to join Macbeth. Banquo shows his courage by standing up to Macbeth and doing what is right, not what is easy. Because Macbeth has failed to manipulate Banquo he decides to have him killed by two henchmen. In addition, he tells them to kill Banquo’s son,
Banquo's declaration of allegiance also allows for proof towards his unchanging ideals, whereas immorality and blind ambition poison Macbeth?s thoughts. Macbeth describes his fear of Banquo shrewdly in that they ?stick deep, and his royalty of nature reigns that which would be feared. ?Tis much he dares he hath a wisdom that doth guide his valor to act in safety? (III.i). Macbeth concludes his friend has remained his pure self and therefore is his moral antithesis. Banquo continues to hold a much clearer grip on life and real quality as a man in comparison to Macbeth, hence, Macbeth is forced to kill him if he is to follow through with his plan and go down a dark road.
In the play, Macbeth was a man who had shown very little mercy to friends let alone his foes. After killing Duncan to become King, he had hired assassins to go and kill Banquo and his son so that he could secure his reign. Banquo was a close friend of Macbeth, they had gone to war together, lived together, fought together and without a second thought, Macbeth has put a death warrant on Banquo and his son’s head. Here Macbeth shows his newly developed uncompassionate character as he does not care about Banquo and their friendship. “ Rather than so, come fate into the list, And champion me that’ utterance.” Here we can see Macbeth speak about the prophecy and how he realises he let go of his morality but for “ Banquo’s seeds” Macbeth not only showed a lack of compassion towards his best friend but also to other characters such as
His potential is no more at that point as he has ruined any chance. “Ere we will eat our meal in fear and sleep” (Macbeth, Act III, scene ii) shows that Macbeth’s potential has gone from something great to having to be in fear all the time. But it is not only his potential that is lost, but Banquo’s as well when he takes his life. In this play one of the main purposes of Banquo's character is to act as a contrast to the character of Macbeth. Banquo is brave and noble - characteristics that Macbeth arguably doesn't.
Banquo’s ambition is unlike Macbeths and Lady Macbeths, his ambition does not drive him to kill. His ambition is he wants his son to become king, and he wants his son’s son to become king and so on. He does not quite know how to make his ambition successful but he knows that it is not worth killing for. Macbeth becomes jealous of Banquo’s ambition and Macbeths ambition drives him tell people to kill Banquo.
After killing the king, Macbeth is seen to be embracing evil over and over again when he decides to murder Banquo. Having already gained the crown of Scotland, he now wants further security and believes that Banquo will disrupt that. Although at first manipulated by his wife to
One of the cordial characters in Macbeth is Banquo, who is a close friend of Macbeth’s and has a son named Fleance, with whom he often goes riding and spends time. Banquo does not seek more power or riches than he has been blessed with, and he always does what he can to help others, even warning Macbeth that “oftentimes, to win us our harm
Although some may argue that Macbeth is responsible for King Duncan's death because he was the one to murder him, Banquo is actually the one to blame because he could have stopped it from happening. From the second the witches told the men their fortune and the prophecies came true, Banquo knew that things would end poorly, "All’s well. I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters: To you they have showed some truth." (Act 2, Scene 1). Why would Banquo be dreaming about the witches and wondering if Macbeth was alright unless he was questioning how Macbeth received the witches' predictions? As one of King Duncan's most trusted men, Banquo should have notified the King of the witches and the fortunes they told. Truth be told, one can't help but wonder if Banquo wanted to see
Moreover, he chooses to betray Banquo by plotting to have Banquo and his son Fleance killed. This is in contrast to Banquo’s choice of warning Macbeth about the witches by referring to them as ‘instruments of darkness’ who ‘betray’s in deepest consequences’. Banquo does this as he is a loyal friend and retains his reputation even after he is
Later in the story, Macbeth does in fact gave Banquo killed and attempts to kill his lineage in fear that Banquo's line will take his throne.
By encouraging Macbeth not to fear his prophecy, Shakespeare establishes that his foil Banquo also has a sense of ambition. Unlike Macbeth, however, Banquo has the ability to control his ambition. These opening scenes establish a foil between Banquo and Macbeth in order to show their shared positive characteristics prior to Macbeth’s moral decline.
Characters in plays begin to become influenced as their stories unfold. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, two prominent characters Macbeth and Banquo have certain differences and similarities, and as the play progresses, contrasting attributes of both characters begin to appear. Both characters uniquely develop in the play, portraying eminent leadership skills, while possessing contrasting attributes towards temptation, and relationships with their families.
In this play, the three equivocators have a resilient effect, not only on Macbeth but on the other characters too. Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Not so happy yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings though thou be none.' (Act 1 Scene 3) Banquo is directly involved with the three witches; he talks to them face to face. Being at first strongly contrasted with Macbeth, as an innocent man with a guilty one, it seems like this contrast must be continued to his death; while, in reality, though it is never removed, it is gradually diminished. Banquo in fact may be described much more truly than Macbeth as the victim of the Witches.
“Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Not so happy yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings though thou be none.” said Banquo while he was directly involved with the witches, when he talked to them in person. At first he was very different than Macbeth, he was an innocent person accompanied by a guilty man, this contrast lasted until his death. Although never fully changed it slowly went away as the play goes on. Banquo is actually described as a much better person than Macbeth as a chosen one of the witches. There were other characters besides Banquo who were affected by the prophecies. Duncan being one of the primary ones. Because of the prophecies he was killed off very early in the play. The witches were the ones who caused this evil action to occur which greatly affected Duncan and Banquo.
of King Duncan's army. His personal powers and strength as a general won him the