Preview

Banquo's Influence On Macbeth

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
918 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Banquo's Influence On Macbeth
How has someone or something been so influential in life that it causes certain decisions or choices to be made? In Shakespeare’s drama, Macbeth is endlessly being influenced by the characters in the play. Towards the beginning, Macbeth and his friend Banquo have just returned from war as hero’s. Suddenly three witches appear giving both of them predictions about what will happen to them and what they will achieve. From then on Macbeth is different, he is willing to do anything no matter how cruel it is to fulfill what the witches have said and take the crown. Although the witches prophesies drive Macbeth to conquering the crown, he is most influenced by Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare drama Macbeth Our Tragic Hero by her ability to name call/embarrass …show more content…
In Act 1 after the witches give him their first predictions Macbeth immediately wats to know more and is I utter shock. He says, “Stay you imperfect speakers. Tell me more,” (IV iii 73). Later in the drama in Act 4 wants to know more about his future. He says, “I conjure you by that which fear you profess, answer me,” (IV i 51-52). Macbeth is always wanting the witches to tell him more and answer his questions. It is easily shown that Macbeth is influenced by the witches because of how he keeps asking for more predictions and repeatedly comes back to the them. However even though it is proven that the witches had an influence on Macbeth, they didn’t have the largest one. Lady Macbeth ultimately had the most impact on him because of her threat to take the murder into her own hands causing him to look at the way he was acting and man up so he could follow up with the plan. In Act 3 Macbeth refuses to tell his plan to Lady Macbeth about his plan to murder Banquo because he doesn’t want her to try and take apart in it and so he can surprise her to prove to her that he can do it. He says, “Thou marvel’st at my words, but hold thee still. Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill. So prithee go with me,” (III iii 61-63). He knows she is surprised by his words but he doesn’t want her to question him. It once again shows how much of an impact Lady Macbeth has had on him because he isn’t struggling with following through the plan on this murder because of all of the embarrassment she caused his last time. This demonstrates that in society woman can make a difference and should be heard and not ignored when they have an

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    He starts off as a great warrior, high in both status and reputation. But he has a deep desire inside his heart. When he is tempted by the prophecies, he is tested for his own inner strength and ability to fight the dark side of himself. Banquo and Macduff have both shown that they are strong and do not yield to temptation, providing a contrast to the weak-willed Macbeth, whose dark side is revealed by the three witches throughout the play. It is this flaw, his over-vaulting ambition, that made him take his first step towards his downfall “ murdering King Duncan.His change of character from the mighty and loyal warrior to the treacherous and savage King, who ultimately, dies, can be revealed through his interactions with the three witches,…

    • 133 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lady Macbeth plays a major role in influencing her husband to take the path that he does. She is the catalyst that effectively unleashes Macbeth’s true side of evil. Throughout the play we can see that she has a strong influence on him and is a primary cause for increasing Macbeth’s ambition. Lady Macbeth’s words to her husband as well as her many powerful soliloquies show us her great desire to become Queen and hence urge Macbeth to murder Duncan as well as begin his reign of tyranny. However, in no way can Lady Macbeth be seen as the sole influence on Macbeth. Although Macbeth appears to be greatly subordinate to his wife in terms of levels of evil, he is still an extremely ambitious and powerful character. She greatly helps him throughout the play to get him through various problems. In the earlier acts of the play we can see that Lady Macbeth’s words mean a lot to her husband, giving the impression that she is definitely the dominant figure in the relationship. Lady Macbeth has a strong influence on her husband and is a sole reason why Macbeth acts as he did.…

    • 409 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Once the exposition is established by the witches’ famous dialogue, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (I. i. 10), the reversal moral order is introduced as the theme of the play. This incident precedes the introduction of the diverse belief of both Macbeth and Banquo concerning the witches. Although Macbeth questions the witches’ prophecies in the beginning, he still maintains a flicker of hope that the prophecies are true. Macbeth’s belief in the witches’ predictions reveals to the audience that Macbeth is a credulous character. It only takes favourable prophecies for him to become convinced. During the first encounter between the witches, Macbeth and Banquo, Macbeth displays his anticipation to understand completely the words of the women,…

    • 346 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    They persauded Macbeth to kill people only because they wanted to be benefited. they were selfish and not worrying that they would soon turn Macbeth into a crazed lunatic The witches delighted in chaos and toil. They did not tell Macbeth what to do but they simply showed him what can happen through their prophecies and the apparitions they showed to Macbeth. Macbeth could've been a perfect target for them to bring about this chaos. Macbeth is a strong soldier, he has killed enemies in war, and perhaps the witches knew his true nature("by the prickling of my thumb, something wicked this way comes..."). The extent of their influenced is demonstrated through their predictions, they are temptations and a form of flattery which Macbeth eventually gave into. On one hand, Lady Macbeth has the far greater influence because she is Macbeth's wife and they share a passionate relationship together. Just like the witches she flatters him, but this time it is a direct flattery and a direct temptation towards him. As far as Macbeth being changed into a diffrent person, he himself is responsible for his own actions. The final decision lies within him and this was demonstrated when he carried out the murder of King Duncan. Lady Macbeth acts as the catalyst for Macbeth. Macbeth realised that he would have to commit regicide (stars, hide your fires; let light not see my deep and black desires), but he was unwilling to do so. Lady Macbeth changes his mind by attacking his manhood, despite the brave acts he has commited as a soldier. She also flatters him shamelessly. The murder of Duncan sets Macbeth on the trail of evil, as he didn't consult his wife when he killed Banquo and Macduff's family. He didn't even care when she commited suicide. The witches represent the Three Fates in Greek Mythology. they connotate destiny, fate, etc. They delight and thrive in chaos and toil. In my opinion, the witches represent the primeval human emotions of hate and wickedness. They are all that is…

    • 469 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The first key turning point occurs at the start of the play in Act 1 Scene 3, when Macbeth and Banquo come across the three witches. Macbeth asks, “Speak if you can: what are you?”, this quotation is important because although the witches are ghastly and “look not like th’inhabitants o’th’earth”, Macbeth still speaks to them. Firstly, this shows his bravery as he could have fled after seeing their unearthly appearance, as many people in Shakespeare’s time were scared of the idea of witches with James I being obsessed with them so this was most effective at the time it was written, however instead he decided to stay and investigate. More importantly, this quote demonstrates Macbeth’s interest in “the weїrd sisters” and how he already wants to know more before they have even started their predictions, he then becomes more engaged where he says “Tell me more.” and “Speak, I charge you.” Both of these short sentences are imperatives as Macbeth takes charge of the situation. They are important because it shows Macbeth’s hunger for knowledge and his urgency is especially shown in the second quotation. However, he is still unsure of himself as he says “Cannot be ill, cannot be good.” This suggests he has seesawing thoughts so has not yet descended into evil. Also he says this “Aside” which shows the secrecy of his thoughts which makes it all the more suspicious. This is a key turning point as it shows how Macbeth is interested in witches’ predictions, which later leads him to more tragic decisions.…

    • 1246 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Banquo In Macbeth

    • 822 Words
    • 4 Pages

    B: How is your night going, boy? He was asking how the night was going.…

    • 822 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    They live equal lives because they are both thanes. I think they both like each other’s very much, they admire each other's strength and fighting abilities. When the witches made the prediction on Macbeth and Banquo, they did not believe on it at first, but when the predictions became true one by one, Banquo still acts like before, but Macbeth's mind is totally changed, which result of Banquo's death. When Macbeth became the king, he has to slay Banquo because he is the only one that knows about the truth. They became enemies and eventually, Macbeth killed Banquo. I think Banquo is pretty stupid to stay with Macbeth, I believe he is a smart guy; he should knows that his family and himself are in danger; he should run away with his family and never return.…

    • 955 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Banquo is shown to be loyal to Duncan, but clearly skeptical about his murder and Macbeth becoming the next king. Banquo is shown to be loyal by protecting Duncan. ” Too cruel anywhere. Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself and say it is not so” (Macbeth 2.3.104-106).…

    • 227 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    News of Macbeths encounter with the three witches who prophesized his success reaches Lady Macbeth who willingly rids herself of human kindness in order to achieve her dreams. At this stage Macbeth exhibits hesitation to act upon the words of the three witches. Macbeths arrival is met with the overly ambitious Lady Macbeth who automatically declares her evil intentions: Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor! / Greater than both by the all-hail hereafter!, (I.VI.53-54). At this stage Macbeth fails to take authority as his ambiguity holds him back which therefore allows Lady Macbeth to overpower him: We will speak further, (I.VI.68). Lady Macbeths reply gives a concrete indication of her influence: ...To alter favour ever is to fear. / Leave all the rest to me., (I.VI.70-71). This is a significant element of Lady Macbeths outward display of power over her…

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Banquo Analysis

    • 396 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In the beginning Banquo is thinking well if the first thing the witches came true and made Macbeth king why can't his kids become king later. Then macbeth enters in the kings attire. Macbeth discusses his fear of the kids that left. Macbeth invites Banquo to the feast that night, and Banquo accepts his invitation. Banquo says he will make it, but he is going on a horse ride for the afternoon. Macbeth now is contemplating killing his best friend Banquo. The reason he worries is he doesn't want him or his family taking his power. He decides to hire the best assassins he knows to go kill Banquo will he is far away from the castle. They take off to get Banquo. They end up killing Banquo, then come back to the castle in the beginning of the dinner party. It is odd because Macbeth wants no one to know he was apart of the killing, but they pull him aside in the dinner party to talk about the killing. When he comes back to the dinner party he says where am I supposed to sit. They tell him right there there is a empty seat, and Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost. They start thinking he is crazy. He then says it is weird Banquo is not here I invited him. Lady macbeth interrupts saying he has seen things he was a little kid, and not to ask questions that…

    • 396 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In preparation for Banquo’s orchestrated murder, Shakespeare elaborates on Macbeth’s current state of guilt and desperation for reassurance to vindicate his heinous actions. In the midst of experiencing overwhelming compunction for killing Duncan, Macbeth fears that the outcome only “scotch’d the snake, not kill’d it” and fails to eliminate all threats to his supremacy (line 15). Duncan’s assassination provides a mere momentary and fleeting solution to complications as Banquo’s children’s possible preconceived heir remains a significant danger. With efforts to satisfy his ambitions, Macbeth justifies Duncan’s death by claiming that a grave fairs better than his own situation of being eternally tortured in “restless ecstasy” (line 24). Banquo’s…

    • 152 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    macbeth: influence

    • 1157 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Moreover, were the three witches the main instigation on Macbeth’s actions, or did they just tell him what they knew? In ones eyes many believe that it…

    • 1157 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    To begin with, Macbeth is greatly influenced by Lady Macbeth. She “is depicted by Shakespeare as an equal of Macbeth in the realm of ambition and ruthlessness; without her, in fact, Macbeth's courage may never have reached the ‘sticking-place’” (Moss & Wilson 7). She convinces him to commit the murder of King Duncan, as well as convinces him that murder is the only way to achieve their ambition. Rather than listening to his own conscience, which tells him to “...proceed no further in this business” (Shakespeare I.VII.34), Macbeth allows his wife to manipulate and convince him by accusing him of not being a man and expresses that she would “...dashed the brains out...”…

    • 1209 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The witches from the original play too are replaced by a singular entity considered to be a spirit. The spindle of the lady ghost symbolizes time, as the three witches of Fates exist in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, to tell the Past, Present and the Future. Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, will be Thane of Cawdor, and a king thereafter. But it is Banquo who shall father future kings even though he himself will not be one. When Scottish Thane, Ross announces the promotion of Macbeth to Thane of Cawdor, he confirms the prophecy of the witches. This pushes Macbeth to follow the greed that leads him to the blood of Duncan.…

    • 207 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The ghost of Banquo is all a figment of Macbeth’s imagination. As a director, there’s way more cons to not present the ghost to the audience. Despite the fact of what Shakespeare displayed in the play, he portrayed the ghost in Macbeth’s mind to show his guilty mind and somewhat the role of supernatural. Showing the ghost has some negative effects such as cutting out the guilt and illusion out of Macbeth’s mind. A bloody appearance of Banquo will startle the audience. Suspicion upon Macbeth won’t arise unless the spirit proves who killed him. However, Banquo remained unaware of who wanted him murdered so that brings a disadvantage to the whole play because it will destruct the sequence of the play. It will bring confusion. Macbeth’s perspective…

    • 153 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays

Related Topics