Betrayal In Macbeth

Analyse how a relationship was used to explore the idea of loyalty, and conversely, betrayal.

Loyalty is a fundamental virtue as it holds the structure of society through establishing trust between individuals. To be loyal to someone is to show them the utmost devotion, and the cost of breaking this trust, betrayal, irrevocably damages both parties involved. William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, explores the themes of loyalty and betrayal by showing the decline of a man so consumed by ambition that he goes to extreme lengths to achieve his goal, betraying himself and those close to him, only to lose sight of himself and his values before the end. A relationship that is used to explore these themes explicitly is between Banquo, a Scottish nobleman

Midway through the play, Banquo begins to suspect Macbeth of murdering Duncan for his title of King, we see this in Banquo’s internal monologue, where he says, “I fear thou play'dst most foully for’t.” This phrase shows that Banquo is questioning Macbeth’s loyalty to the former King- revealing a crack in the wall of their loyalty. The phrase "I fear" conveys Banquo's emotional state, expressing his apprehension. It highlights the depth of his suspicion and reveals that their relationship has been strained. The use of the verb "play'dst" suggests a manipulative action on Macbeth's part, it emphasises Banquo's suspicion that Macbeth has engaged in deceit to achieve his position as King. It reinforces the idea of upcoming betrayal as it contributes to the notion of a rift in their relationship. Furthermore, the use of the informal pronoun "thou" instead of the formal "you" creates a more intimate and personal tone, showing that a semblance of loyalty is left though the majority of trust is crumbling. Banquo's fear reflects the loss of trust and the growing divide between the characters, the language features collectively contributing to this portrayal. While Banquo ruminates over how Macbeth attained to the crown, Macbeth also considers his unstable position as King, casting a shadow of suspicion over Banquo by saying, “But to be thus is nothing; but to be safely thus.” This portrays how Macbeth is unsatisfied with simply being King, he wants to make sure that he has no opposition whatsoever. By “thus” Macbeth alludes to being ‘King’ and the word ‘King’ would have allowed for the same rhythm so it shows that Macbeth is purposely avoiding the use of that word. Shakespeare utilises euphemism in this instance to showcase Macbeth’s insecurity in his role and is seeking to be