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Macbeth Theme Fair And Foul Is Fair

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Banquo creeps through the dining hall, he is bloody and maimed. He takes the treacherous king's chair. He sits at a feast he promised not to miss. He returns to haunt Macbeth. Shakespeare uses Banquo to contrast Macbeth's character. Banquo is intended to be a noble and kindhearted Character and is not given a flaw. Since his character is compared to Macbeth Banquo seems to be more reputable. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth several characters display the theme of fair is foul or foul is fair. One character in particular who displays the theme fair is foul is Banquo.
In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Banquo portrays the theme fair is foul through many of his actions and words. In Act II, when Macbeth finds Banquo before killing Duncan, Banquo tells Macbeth …show more content…

Undoubtedly Banquo deep down knew Macbeth's intentions since his prophecy from the wyrd sisters. Furthermore, Banquo has to make it well known to Macbeth that his loyalty stands to Duncan. Even so, Banquo does not tell anyone what happened with the witches even after Duncan is discovered dead in his chambers and he does not discuss it with Macbeth. It is almost as if he is trying to remind himself where his allegiance lies. Given Banquo doesn’t tell anyone, but also will not let Macbeth know he will cover for him, his allegiance lies within himself. In the end, Banquo also had a prophecy that he would father future kings, so if Duncan was dead and both heirs to the throne fled Scotland Banquo was a step closer to reaching his prophecy. In addition, Banquo conveys the theme fair is foul through his words. At the beginning of act III when Banquo is thinking out loud he says “Thou hast it now/…and I fear/Thou play’dst foully for’t/…May they not be my oracles as well/and set me up in hope? But hush no more”(3.1.1-10). Banquo has suspicions about Macbeth. He pieced it together before Macbeth was able to kill Duncan. In addition, Banquo suspects Macbeth is

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As he ponders on the fortunes of the Weird Sisters and their accuracy, he wonders if Macbeth compromised them: “Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,/As the weird women promised, and I fear/ Thou play’dst most foully for’t” (3.1.1-3). However, as he starts to gather his thoughts, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, as well as others enter, interrupting him. Even though he suspects foul play in this situation and has numerous opportunities to speak up, he decides not to tell anyone, making him in some sense responsible for the tragedies of Macbeth’s reign of terror. Banquo later pays for his mistake with his life, when Macbeth kills

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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.

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