Macbeth is a tragic story about how ambition and power in the wrong hands will only lead to chaos. Macbeth is the main character of the story, being the tragic hero and having his unchecked ambition slowly drag him down. His best friend Banquo is also an important but more minor character in the story, leading Macbeth into his sprawl of madness. Then Macduff, being the one to slay Macbeth and being the ending to Macbeth's horrid reign. Banquo and Macduff are two characters who have a stronghold on the story of Macbeth, leading Macbeth to his downfall and his fall into madness. Banquo is one of the only other characters who knows of Macbeth’s prophecy to become king. Banquo is with Macbeth during his first encounter with the witches, where he is told, “that shalt be king hereafter!” (Shakespeare 1.3.53). This scene is one of the most pivotal in what leads to Macbeth’s choices later in the book. Macbeth knows Banquo heard his prophecy which led to Macbeth realizing that he could be a threat to his throne and having him murdered. This simple moment where Banquo hears his prophecy is the one thing that collapsed everything and led to …show more content…
During Macbeth's dinner when becoming king, the ghost of Banquo takes his place at the table and only Macbeth can see him blurting out, “Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that which might appall the devil.” (Shakespeare 3.4.71-72). Banquo’s ghost completely ruins the mental state of Macbeth. He is continuously plagued by his choice to kill Banquo throughout the entire story. Banquo’s ghost follows Macbeth throughout everything, this ruins Macbeth to the point of his ravenous attitude later in the book. Every choice he makes to kill after his murder of Banquo is all caused because of this sequence with the Ghost of Banquo. This small moment where Macbeth is haunted by his choices is once again a way this minor character impacted the story
Proceeding with the crime, Macbeth later receives the news that only Banquo has been killed. Macbeth’s paranoia, guilt, and shame manifest into an envisionment of Banquo’s ghost at Inverness. Upon Macbeth seeing the ghost, Lady Macbeth attempts to calm him down, to which he
In the story of Macbeth, the murder of Banquo is a huge turning point in the play. The main character, Macbeth gets Banquo assassinated after 3 witches' prophesize that Macbeth would be king and Banquo's descendant will be king. Soon after this Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo, at dinner with many aristocrats in attendance. This interaction between Macbeth and Banquo's ghost shows how Macbeth's excessive thirst for power has caused his mind to decline leaving him to feel a great deal of guilt.
Secondly, Macbeth sees Banquo as a threat stating, “But to be safely thus: our fears in Banquo” (Shakespeare 3.1.53). Macbeth suggesting Banquo as a threat foreshadows his plan to murder Banquo. Additionally, it proves his paranoia since he is willing to commit another murder to conceal his first. Since, Macbeth did not want anyone to discover his murder, he knows how murder is viewed proving his opposition to
He does not want to do the dirty work himself because it will look bad on his part, so he hires murderers to kill Banquo. With the killing of Banquo, Macbeth says “Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold Thou hast no speculation in those eyes.” The murder of Banquo gets to him to a point where he starts hallucinating and seeing ghost of Banquo.
When Macbeth kills Banquo he sees his ghost and starts freaking out. Macbeth had his king's meeting. He saw Banquo's ghost and got scared and Lady Macbeth told everyone he had this condition that makes him see things. Macbeth felt guilty when he killed Banquo and
So to assure his reign as king Macbeth orders the murderers to kill Banquo. At the coronation, Macbeth’s paranoia got the better of him, and he thought he saw Banquo’s ghost at the dinner party. When he begins to yell at Banquo’s ghost the lords and ladies realize it was he who killed Duncan and Banquo. In Act III, Scene IV, Macbeth says in front of his guests: “Avaunt, and quit my sight!
Once Macbeth gets word at a royal dinner that Banquo is dead but his son escaped, Macbeth suddenly sees the ghost of Banquo staring at him on top of the table. This allusion shows how the guilt and worry inside of him can cause him to go crazy. Macbeth almost confessed to his crime. Lady Macbeth said he was just very ill. Shakesphere throws this allusion in there to state how Macbeth’s character is going to act, and how he is handling his crimes.
He believes that Banquo is aware of is actions and will become a problem. "Our fears in Banquo/ Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature/ Reigns that which would be feared" (3.1.47-49). Banquo is Macbeth's friend and Although Banquo made no direct threat against Macbeth. Macbeth feels that he is a threat to his plan. Because Macbeth's mind has been corrupted by power, he is willing to do any and everything to ensure he can continue control.
First, Macbeth expresses fear when it comes to Banquo’s prophecy. “Then, prophet-like, they hailed him father to a line of kings. Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, and put a barren scepter in my gripe, thence to be wretched with an unlineal hand, no son of mine succeeding” (Shakespeare 3. 1. 57-61). This shows that in Banquo’s prophecy he will heir kings and Macbeth will not. This proves that Macbeth killed Duncan for no reason and Banquo is making him look like a fool for doing so.
This demonstrates that rather let Banquo be king, he is going to challenge and fight him for his crown. Banquo is the only person that knows about the prophecy and he is also suspicious of Macbeth killing Duncan. Instead of letting Banquo's’ son receiving the crown easily, Macbeth is going to challenge him for the crown. In order that Macbeth can be king, he has to kill Banquo and his son, so they don’t take crown from
During a dinner party, Macbeth is visited by Banquo’s ghost causing the other characters within the scene to start to notice how he is distressed by the apparition. One of the guests proclaims “Gentleman, rise. His Highness is not well” (Shakespeare, 3.4.63). Macbeth's reaction to Banquo’s death is the first display of guilt that is witnessed by others. Earlier in the play, Macbeth orders three different murderers to kill Banquo and his guilt over being the cause of his friend’s death manifests into Banquo's ghost hauntingly staring at him.
Right after he receives news of the successful assassination of Banquo, Macbeth claims to see Banquo’s ghost at the table. This freaks Macbeth out, leading him to cause a scene in front of all the guests at the banquet which raises suspicions and allows the people of Scotland to doubt the abilities of Macbeth as a leader.
Furthermore, the murder of Banquo led Macbeth to destruction. Later in the play, Macbeth was troubled by the Banquo’s ghost. Macbeth acts out of desperation to get rid of Banquo’s ghost (III, iv, 82-7). Here, it shows Macbeth’s destruction of mind, which is fuelled by his fear and guilt. Eventually, Macbeth’s
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a tale of a dignified and noble Scottish thane who falls under the influence of his own tyrannous ambition and his wife. His downfall begins when Macbeth and his friend, Banquo, encounter a trio of witches who promise him that he will be King of Scotland one day and that Banquo’s descendants will follow suit. Captivated and infatuated with the delightful thought and galvanized by his wife, Macbeth takes King Duncan’s life and the throne. Thus begins the guilt-ridden agony Macbeth and Lady Macbeth face. Anguished with the burden, Macbeth becomes a despotic ruler, which turns Scotland into a pig being butchered by Macbeth.
Unlike Macbeth, Banquo, from the beginning of this encounter, continues to doubt the witches, “I’th’name of truth are ye fantastical, or that indeed which outwardly ye show?” (1.3.51-52) Banquo didn’t believe what the witches were saying, he questions their intentions and accuses them of raising Macbeth’s hope. Throughout this whole encounter, Banquo continues to protect Macbeth while staying loyal. He never once acted on his prophecies, he simply disregarded what the witches were saying and remained the noble man he is. Even to his death, Banquo has not once acted without honour and