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Role Of Banquo In Macbeth

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Macbeth is full of treasons, mistrust, and murder. In the beginning, Macbeth and Banquo are brothers in arms or best friends who fight to protect their king. Throughout the play, they start to drift apart as Macbeth plans to murder Duncan to gain the last part of the weird sisters prophecy. The exact moment Macbeth kills Duncan; Banquo and Macbeth become foils to one another. As an example of this, the witches predict that Macbeth will become king, while Banquo is predicted will be father bear a line of kings. In other words, his sons will be kings, which means Macbeth’s child even though he doesn’t have any will never be kings. Macbeth goes on a destructive rampage of murders in order to be crowned king, and then to keep throne by any …show more content…

He remains much indifferent to their oracles unlike Macbeth. Banquo serves as a foil to Macbeth, showing an different reaction to prophecy. Banquo retains his morals and allegiances, but ends up dying at the hands of Macbeth’s hired murderers. In Act 2 scene 3 of Macbeth, we read about Banquo’s death in which his last words are for his son to flee and get away, so he will live another day instead and possible avenge him. In Macbeth’s case, he is willing to kill anyone who will get in his way so he may keep his throne. Macbeth shows no disregard for the fact he had gotten his best friend killed, while thinking he is a snake and Fleance a worm, so he could maintain his spot on the throne. While Banquo held his own son’s life above his not expecting for Fleance to come back and help him. In conclusion, Banquo and Macbeth are truly foils because Macbeth would do anything, even kill his best friend, to keep his throne. Banquo stuck loyally to Duncan’s side even after Duncan’s death, so he could king the true person who had slain him. Macbeth was stricken with ambition as Banquo did have ambition but it was controlled by his

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He tries everything he can to rid himself of the witches' forecasts. He dispatches assassins to kill Banquo and his son as soon as he recalls the prophecy that Banquo will be greater than him. When the three witches reveal their final prophecies, he feels safe. Macbeth's murder of the king exemplifies his attempt to

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With Macbeth being a general in the Scottish military, he had major influences on people and their daily lives. After the murder of King Duncan, Banquo’s suspicion of who committed the murders arose around a single suspect, Macbeth. Knowing that Banquo most likely knew the truth that Macbeth killed King Duncan, Macbeth went back to his evil ways with ease. Through his attendant, Macbeth summons three murderers. Shakespeare introduces the murders with stage direction “[Re-enter Attendant, with two Murderers]” (Shakespeare, 363), in which Macbeth he uses Banquo as bait in order to gain their graces and loyalty “That it was he in the times past which held you so under fortune, which you thought had been our innocent self: this I made good to you in our last conference, pass'd in probation with you, how you were borne in hand, how cross'd, the instruments, who wrought with them, and all things else that might, so half a soul and to a notion crazed, Say 'Thus did Banquo.'”

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When Banquo and Fleance arrive at the murder, Banquo tells Fleance, “Fly, good Fleance, Fly, fly, fly!”(Act 3 sc. 3 lines 17) because he knows what’s already going to happen. Banquo dies and Fleance escapes and disappears in this act because Banquo was suspicious of Macbeth’s actions. Macbeth’s decision on killing Banquo was an immoral decision because they were really good friends at one point. Macbeth’s actions were influenced by his Lady Macbeth and the weird sisters in my opinion.

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After that, Duncan’s son flees on the fear that he’ll be next and Macbeth is crowned king. But then he starts to worry, that his friend Banquo might put the pieces together, and know for sure that Macbeth is the true killer. Macbeth being uneasy, decides to kill his best friend Banquo and Banquo’s son Fleance. That way, no-one will know of the witches and the next king inline is killed as well. Macbeth sees it as two birds with one stone, and he hires a band of killers to ambush Banquo while he’s attending Macbeth’s feast.

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“Macbeth- who may I rather challenge for unkindness than for mischance?” (2.3.44-45). Macbeth this is about a man who wanted to be in power and would do any wrong deed to get there. With the help of the Weird Sisters and his wife the murder spree began than ending with Macbeths head decapitated by a foe named Macduff. Although Lady Macbeth convinces her husband to follow the prophecies and Macbeth’s loyalty to his wife destroys his thoughts, the Weird Sisters hold ultimate control when they predict his coming title.

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Banquos kids would be kings. Banquo is Macbeth friend. Macbeth didn’t know how to say it to his wife in time before the dinner so he writes to her. When Macbeth gets home he starts thinks and having horrible thoughts about what the witches said. After the night they had dinner with the king Macbeth and Lady Macbeth started the kingdom down a bad bad road, and a disgrace to there name.

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Macbeth is effortlessly susceptible to evil where Banquo takes a more cautious approach to almost everything that he encounters and ponders about what may come next. Banquo plays it safe and never is hasty when it comes to making decisions while Macbeth is quick to act and believes everything that he is told; “Shakespeare's Banquo is the antithesis of Macbeth -- his pure, moral character foil. Banquo has no 'vaulting ambition' and thus can easily escape the trap of the Witches' prophesies.” (Mabillard, “Introduction to the Characters in Macbeth”). Banquo stays untainted by the witches prophesy while Macbeth allows and calls upon evil spirits to help him on his malevolent pursuit.

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Like Macbeth, he says he can no longer sleep soundly and admits to his son Fleance that he is struggling to restrain 'cursed thoughts' and is troubled by the prophecies of the three sisters. However, there are significant differences between Macbeth and Banquo. When Banquo feels his temptation growing, he asks his son Fleance to take his sword. This demonstrates that only Macbeth takes matters into his own hands and embarks on his bloody campaign of violence. Banquo is morally stronger and doesn't succumb to the prophecies.

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Additionally, it also accentuates the unjust nature of Banquo’s murder later on. This is due to the fact that unlike Macbeth, he remained true to his reputation until his death. The night that King Duncan is scheduled to visit Macbeth’s, Lady Macbeth warns him to act normal to avoid suspicion and

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Being that Banquo seemed suspicious of Macbeth subsequently the night of the king 's death. Apprehensive of his throne Macbeth would do anything in his power to prevent even the slightest chance for anyone to take the throne from him.

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Due to his betrayal of a loyal friend, Macbeth feels guilty. To further emphasize, the ghost, which Macbeth fears, is not of Duncan but instead, it is of Banquo. This shows Banquo’s significance in Macbeth as it demonstrates Banquo’s greater impact to Macbeth compared to Duncan. Duncan was his king, whom Macbeth was loyal to at the beginning, however, he betrayed him by murdering him to get the crown. On the other hand, Banquo was his partner in hardship, whom Macbeth trusted and was close to.

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i. 121-126, 137-138). Macbeth tells the murderers that since him and Banquo have the same friends Macbeth cannot use his powers to execute Banquo, because people will overthrow Macbeth if they find out Macbeth to be the

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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

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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).

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Macbeth and Banquo were seen as relatively similar individuals who acted with nobility. At the beginning, they both were loyal military leaders who fought hard for their king and their country. However, after their encounter with the Three Weird Sisters, they began to show their differences through the actions they make in regards to prophecies they were given. Macbeth and Banquo were both heroic, noble and brave leaders who led their armies to victory numerous of times. They were loyal subjects to the king, and they lived their lives continuously fighting for him as well as the country.

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