Compare and Contrast Macbeth and Banquo Once one elicits a promise of power, the question is what one should do with it. Should one enforce it and see it through, or should one simply let fate run its course? A prophecy presents itself to both Banquo and Macbeth that foretells a rise to power in their futures. When power presents itself to Macbeth, he becomes corrupt. 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 …show more content…
Lady Macbeth influences Macbeth to kill Duncan, but he continues to have second thoughts about it (i.vii.31-34) and feels terribly guilty afterwards (II.ii.63-66). However, following the murder of Duncan, Macbeth loses any ethics he had left. Macbeth kills the servants, Banquo, and Macduff’s whole family in cold-blooded murder. On the other hand, when Banquo ponders the witches prophecy for him, he contemplates the thought of having to kill someone to get power, but he quickly shuts it down (III.i.9-11). In Macbeth, free will is the cause for Macbeth’s downfall and Banquo’s honest end. Banquo chooses to ignore the prophecy and carry on with his life, whereas Macbeth decides to take the initial prophecy seriously and kill people over it. Based on the witches predictions, it may seem like Macbeth’s fate is sealed. However, both Banquo and Macbeth face a similar obstacle. Their differing actions show that their actions lead them down different paths. However, even though one can choose to be good, like Banquo, fate can find a way to ruin that too, as mirrored by Banquo’s