Banquo's Quest For Power In Macbeth

It is human nature to want power, to be at the top of the pyramid, to be king/queen, but that comes at a price as shown in Macbeth. In the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will do anything to have absolute power and nothing stands in their way. From killing to going completely mad, they will become the next king and queen at all costs. The ambition and the want for power is so high that they kill many, they do whatever they can to be one step closer, and they go completely insane, all because they want that absolute power.

Banquo says, “I fear thou play’ds most foully for’t” (Act 3 sc 1 lines 2-3). I feel that Banquo is seeing that Macbeth is getting everything that he wants and Banquo is noticing that it’s out of the ordinary and he ends up getting suspicious of Macbeth. Macbeth notices that Banquo is getting suspicious of him. Also, the weird sister told Macbeth that one of Banquo sons is going to be king one day. Macbeth doesn’t like the idea of both of these, so Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance.

It is said that Shakespeare may have changed this one aspect of Banquo’s character in order to please King James, who was considered at the time to be the real descendant of real Banquo. It is also interpreted that the role of Banquo is presented in the contrast of that of Macbeth’s because Banquo resists evil where Macbeth embraces it. The play is about how Macbeth murders Duncan, King if Scotland, to be the king himself after when he listens to the prophecies of the three witches. He is also supported by his wife, Lady Macbeth, in doing so.

The conversation continues and Banquo says, “So I lose none/ In seeking to augment it, but still keep/ My bosom franchised and allegiance clear,/ I shall be counselled” (2.1.26-29). He fears what Macbeth may do, but too selfish to admit it. Not only are his walls against the influence of evil wearing down, but he is not helping Macbeth build his own walls back up. As Macbeth’s friend, and a noble man, Banquo should intervene, yet with vile thoughts running through his own head, he turns a blind eye.

Power is always coveted in any society and the world of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is no different. In the play, Macbeth, a noble lord, shows his hunger for power with thoughts to remove an heir to the throne from power. Macbeth’s impatience to be king leads him to stain his honor by using murder. Macbeth travels further down the path of evil by arranging the assassination of a friend.

In Macbeth’s soliloquy, he talks about Banquo’s “hath of wisdom” and how Banquo acts safely(58). This illustrates that Macbeth is afraid of what Banquo might do. This illustrates Macbeth’s ambition because he is not going to give up until he finds what he is looking for if he gets suspicious with Macbeth. This makes Macbeth very scared of Banquo because if Banquo finds out that Macbeth killed Duncan, Macbeth’s life is going to be hell and Banquo is immediately going to tell everybody in Scotland. Macbeth fears Banquo so much that he will “champion his utterance” and will battle anybody to keep his crown(77).

Being that Banquo seemed suspicious of Macbeth subsequently the night of the king 's death. Apprehensive of his throne Macbeth would do anything in his power to prevent even the slightest chance for anyone to take the throne from him.

Macbeth is effortlessly susceptible to evil where Banquo takes a more cautious approach to almost everything that he encounters and ponders about what may come next. Banquo plays it safe and never is hasty when it comes to making decisions while Macbeth is quick to act and believes everything that he is told; “Shakespeare's Banquo is the antithesis of Macbeth -- his pure, moral character foil. Banquo has no 'vaulting ambition' and thus can easily escape the trap of the Witches' prophesies.” (Mabillard, “Introduction to the Characters in Macbeth”). Banquo stays untainted by the witches prophesy while Macbeth allows and calls upon evil spirits to help him on his malevolent pursuit.

However, he then quickly begins to show the dark side of power. In the beginning when the witches prophesized to Macbeth and Banquo, they both had similar fortunes yet only Macbeth acted upon them. I believe Macbeth and Banquo are but two sides to a coin, Banquo is the path Macbeth didn’t take. We see how Lady Macbeth instigated a fire in Macbeth that led him to take action, while Banquo stayed dormant and didn’t act upon the prophecy even though he also thought deep about it. Lady Macbeth represents the society at the time and how they were hungry to see a bloodbath and how the pressure they put on lords and knights made them act rash.

(scn I ln 62-64). Also further along in the passage when Macbeth felt like Banquo might become a threat to his innocents and tell someone what the witches had prophesied to them he talked two murders into killing Banquo in Act III Macbeth said “have you considered of my speeches? Know that it was he in the past, which held you so under

Banquo serves as a character foil to Macbeth. While Macbeth is brutally ambitious and eager to trust supernatural prophecies, In contrast Banquo is placid and cautious of the witches’ advice. Banquo also contrasts

In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare the character, Banquo is quite ambiguous. Although, amidst the beginning of the play the reader perceives Banquo as a courageous aristocratic individual who’s apparently loyal to Macbeth. However, this perception the reader gathers is soon distorted as they realize that Banquo has a tendency to construct ambitious thoughts that he dares not to act upon unlike his counterpart, Macbeth. If the reader were to ponder about Banquo’s disposition as a whole, they will come to the conclusion that his character stands as harsh criticism to Macbeth because he signifies the decisions that Macbeth chose not to make. Macbeth’s choices include both betrayal and murder.

The appearance of Banquo’s ghost in act 3, scene 4 - after he was murdered by the murderers hired by Macbeth - is of great importance to the story development and Macbeths inner conflict. Because the drama builds up in intensity up to the point where Macbeth commits regicide and the body of Duncan is discovered, at this point in the story, a new status quo has been established by the fact that Macbeth has successfully committed the crime despite his uncertainty and has been crowned king. Therefore, sustaining the dramatic tension is not only desired but necessary at this point, to keep the audience’s attention at bay. The story takes on another great turn when Macbeth murders Banquo but fails to murder his son, Fleance which increases his insecurity even more.

However, Banquo resists temptation to give in to his darker side, highlighting two diverging paths a person can pursue while following free will. In Macbeth, Banquo and Macbeth are both noble men receive two similar prophecies, but Macbeth takes a nefarious path and falls from grace, unlike Banquo, who remains moral, illustrating the two paths that free will can result in. Both

The distinction is apparent between Banquo and Macbeth, because unlike Macbeth, Banquo is cautious of what the witches have to say, though Macbeth simply commands to hear more. Furthermore, Banquo neither fears nor begs for the predictions the witches may have, whereas Macbeth’s concern is evident during this encounter, as well as when the witches bring about the apparitions to him. Macbeth acts in relation to the prophecies; killing to fulfill the prophecy, or eliminating threats to his throne. Banquo neither fears nor begs for the predictions the witches have in store for him, displaying his cautious attitude in regards of the deceiving sisters. Banquo’s lack of belief is evident once more as he says to Macbeth, “Were such things here, as we do speak about? /