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Banquo's Loss Of Power In Macbeth

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Fear has a tendency to make people do things that aren’t necessary. In the play Macbeth, Macbeth is driven by his fear of losing power because of the murder of King Duncan and he starts to go mentally crazy and doing everything he can to stop people from overthrowing. Those who read the play closely see even the smallest details in the progression of his behavior from trying to act innocent and not only being the main character, but becoming the main villain. Fear is the ultimate cause of Macbeth’s fate because he felt so guilty and was afraid of losing his power that he ended up going crazy. Fear has that tendency of making people so afraid that they make poor decisions and thats exactly what happens throughout the play of Macbeth. Macbeth’s …show more content…

She'll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice, remains in danger of her former tooth” (3.2.14). The word choice “Scorched” symbolizes how Macbeth thinks he has only had half the battle with Banquo as in weakening him, but Macbeth knows Banquo will return consciously as Banquo’s son Fleance. Macbeth is explaining his fear in Banquo’s return when he says, “Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day; And with thy bloody and invisible hand, Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond, Which keeps me pale” (3.2.53-54). The word choice “Pale” symbolizes the fear he gets from Banquo and how he will affect Macbeth’s plan and how malicious he will be when he comes back for Macbeth. This supports the concept of being overwhelmed by fear because it explains how Macbeth was scared of losing his power so he did what he had to do to keep his power, which meant he had to kill Banquo so he wouldn’t get overthrown. Macbeth’s fate was determined by his fear of losing power because he ends up becoming so confident in these prophecies, that it starts to drive him crazy. Macbeth enters the castle with the doctors and attendants when he says, “Bring me no more reports; let them fly …show more content…

Macbeth is in the dining hall of his castle, speaking to Lady Macbeth when he says, “By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good, All causes shall give way. I am in blood, Stepped in so far that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er” (3.4.138-141). The phrase “I am in blood” highlights how Macbeth knows he is guilty for everything that has happened in Dunsinane and how the deaths of Banquo and King Duncan are the blood in his hands to symbolize the guilt he feels. This supports the idea of having oppressive fear because it showcases how Macbeth was starting to go crazy because of all the guilt he felt for the decisions he's made and the bodies he has. Macbeth’s fate was determined by his fear of losing power. Once he gained his power by becoming Thane of Cawdor, he wasn’t really afraid until people like Banquo were trying to overthrow him. So he was doing everything he could to stop people like Banquo from overthrowing him to keep his

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Upon hearing the prophecy, Macbeth admits, "Present fears are less than horrible imaginings" (Shakespeare 1.3 139). This shows that Macbeth having the mere thought of gaining power sends chills down Macbeth's spine. This highlights his inner turmoil and the allure of absolute authority. Also, Macbeth conveys his determination to safeguard his power, stating, "To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus" (Shakespeare 3.1 47). This illustrates Macbeth's growing obsession with preserving his position, even at the expense of innocent lives.

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In Macbeth, blood is a symbol used to represent guilt and how one's guilt will cause them to act with concupiscence. If an individual feels guilty about an action they will do anything to try to make up for that action or clear their conscience. They may cross a line in which they never had thought of crossing before in order to fight their guilt. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth feels guilty about the many murders he has committed and his guilt has turned to paranoia. His paranoia is evident in his conversation with lady Macbeth about banquo when he says, “Come, seeling night, / Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day /

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In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the protagonist, Macbeth, fears the three witches' prophecy that Banquo’s children will take his throne revealing the extent of his ambition and how he realizes the limitation of his power and the will to do anything to keep his throne. Macbeth confesses there is no one he fears unlike Banquo, and that “under him, [his] genius is rebuked” 3.1.58-60). Macbeth states that he fears no one except Banquo, which suggests that Banquo is a threat to his throne and power. He also feels "rebuked" or criticized by Banquo's presence, indicating that Banquo's intelligence or strength makes Macbeth feel inferior. Additionally, he compares his relationship with Banquo to that of “Mark Antony’s [and] Caesar” (3.1.58-60).

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After killing Banquo Macbeth evokes fear from the audience. Yet at a banquet thrown in honor of Macbeth’s new title of King, Macbeth begins hallucinating about the ghost of Banquo haunting him, this not only ruins the evening, but causes the audience to question the mental deterioration of Macbeth. Yes he is to be feared for his actions taken against Banquo, but the audience is left to question if Macbeth’s actions are not still reactions from the prophecies the witches gave him. They played on his ambitious tendencies and clearly manipulated him, which draws pity, although Macbeth is acting on his own, not under the constructs of any direction which causes fear of what he is capable of. In this moment with the apparition of Banquo the audience has to question the confounds of Macbeth’s sanity, it is easy to fear Macbeth because of what he is doing, but circumstances such as these and the encounters with the Weird Sisters make it difficult for the audience to despise Macbeth, instead they take pity on what they view as a delusional mind.

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