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,…
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,…
B: How is your night going, boy? He was asking how the night was going.…
To illustrate, Macbeth kills the guards to try to maintain his appearence of innocence. After just killing Duncan in his sleep, Macbeth and his wife are anxious and paranoid. Macbeth wants to eradicate anyone that may know the truth about Duncan’s mysterious death; killing the guards was necessary to ensure Macbeth’s own security. However, Lady Macbeth had already framed the guards by placing the bloody knife by them. As a result, Macbeth’s action is not just act of protection, but an act of apparent loyalty in order to keep the crown. Next, Macbeth plots the murder of his friend Banquo. Banquo starts getting suspicious of Duncan’s death because it happened so incredibly close to when the witches told Macbeth he would be king. He starts to perceive that maybe Macbeth killed Duncan to get his position. Macbeth worries that Banquo would be suspicious because he is the only other person that knows of the prophecy. In addition to that, the witches also said Banquo’s children will be kings, making Macbeth doubt the safety of his reign. Macbeth is so eager to ensure his long rule that he order’s murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Now that he has the crown, he will never let it escape him. Furthermore, he also kills Banquo to maintain his kingship. After getting word of Macduff’s flee to England, Macbeth believes that he is a traitor. In order to…
Macbeth, after hearing the prophecies the three witches gave him, becomes conflicted within himself, ‘If chance shall have me King, why, chance may crown me, without my stir’. Ultimately, Macbeth chooses ambition over morality, but not without pressure from his wife ‘Are you a man?’ and severe inner turmoil ‘My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical’. To contrast the devious character of Macbeth, Shakespeare included Banquo, a fellow noblemen and Macbeth’s closest friend, to act as Macbeths foil. He immediately chooses morality over ambition without question and forewarns Macbeth of the Weird Sisters and their ability to twist the truth: ‘instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence’. Banquo’s undying allegiance to King Duncan demonstrations the difference between Macbeth and Banquo, and how the upkeep of morals keep us in check. After choosing power, Macbeth’s suspicion of Banquo and his role in the prophecy leads to Banquo’s murder. After killing his friend, Macbeth is plagued with guilt, and hallucinations become recurrent for both Macbeth; ‘our graves must send those we bury back’ and his wife; ‘will these hands ne’er be clean?’ This shows that ambition can lead to immoral acts when overcome by desire.…
Macbeth had done a lot to become king. He murdered his cousin, King Duncan and anyone else who he thought would reveal the truth that he was true murderer. He also went against his ethics. Two of the people Macbeth ordered to be murdered were his honorable friend Banqou, and Banquo’s son Fleance. Macbeth murdered Banquo for two reasons. The first reason was his fear of Banquo’s nobleness. In Macbeth’s soliloquy he states, “There’s something noble about him (Banquo) that makes me fear him. He’s willing to take risks, and his mind never stops working. He has the wisdom to act bravely but also safely. I’m not afraid of anyone but him…” Macbeth is worried that Banquo will reveal that Macbeth killed King Duncan since Banquo suspected Macbeth. Another reason was because Banqou was told by three evil witches that, “Thou shalt get kings, thought thou be none” so Macbeth figured that he should have Banqou murdered to stop Banquo…
A significant event in this story was when Macbeth murdered Duncan. This struck uneasiness throughout Scotland and some people feared for their lives. Malcolm and Donalbain especially were afraid because they believed; “There’s daggers in men’s smiles.” (Act II sc (iv), ln 165) Banquo’s murder is a fearful moment as well. Macbeth orders murderers to kill Banquo by saying; “Who wear our health but sickly in his life,/ Which in his death were perfect.” (Act III sc (i) lns 119-120) Macbeth is the cause of his innocent friend’s death and he does it purely for his own benefit and personal gain. Macbeth also causes the death of Macduff’s family. He says to Macduff; “My soul is too much charged with blood of thine already.” (Act V sc (viii), lns 6-7) when Macduff challenges him. The family has neither harmed nor threatened Macbeth in any way. There is pity felt for the deaths of these innocent people and fear of the murderous Macbeth throughout Scotland. This fear and pity adds to the point that Macbeth is a…
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…
Macbeth’s new position as king, gives him the power to delegate his needs to other people which he uses to hire murderers to slaughter Banquo. This proves that Banquo’s life means nothing to him anymore now that Banquo’s knows about Macbeth’s involvement in Duncan’s death. Banquo’s statement of “thou hast it now-king, Cawdor, Glamis, as the Weïrd women promised, and I fear thou played’st most foully for ‘t” shows Banquo’s realization of Macbeth’s involvement in Duncan’s murder but by the time he does it is too late for salvation. This worries Macbeth because his lies are catching up to him and they threaten to take his crown. The thought of killing Banquo once a never come to plight now seems as the only solution to an ever growing problem. Banquo’s ending set forth Macbeth’s notion of the crown leading to happiness. This murderous action, even though not directly taken by Macbeth, even more so painted Macbeth in a murderous light that will follow him on his path to…
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…
Macbeth is paranoid of losing his position, he wants to keep it to himself as well as to his descendants. As the three witches described Banquo: “Lesser than Macbeth and greater, not so happy yet much happier, thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.”, implying that Banquo is the root of many kings, Banquo and his son is a threat to Macbeth’s crown(1.3.68-70). Macbeth plans an assassination of Banquo and Fleance while they are on a ride before the dinner at Macbeth’s castle(3.1.129-144). Banquo is murdered and Fleance flees(3.3.29-30). Banquo’s ghost shows up at the dinner and scares Macbeth. Even though Macbeth doesn’t regret killing Banquo, he is still conscious of his terrible actions and the guilt of bringing Banquo to the end of his life. Macbeth at this point has become ruthless enough to murder his close…
Banquo is killed strictly for the reason that he has a suspicion that Macbeth killed Duncan. He could get Macbeth into trouble and ruin his future. The witches’ prophecies describe how Banquo will be a father to a future line of kings. Macbeth hearing this, believes it is a threat at him and uses his urge for power to set out for the killing of Fleance. Macbeth says, “To leave no rubs nor botches in the work—Fleance, his son, that keeps him company, Whose absence is no less material to me Than is his father’s” (Shakespeare). This quote is describing how Fleance’s life is just as equal as Banquo’s. He believes in killing Fleance because he is a threat to him. Macbeth wants no chances for another person to come into power. Therefore, Macbeth wants to be safe and chooses to kill more people. The ambition Macbeth has becomes clear during this chain of events because he is paranoid at losing the power he urgently wants. Cassandra Nelson says, “Once he hears the weird sisters' prophecy Macbeth becomes so consumed by his desire for power that he becomes a tyrannical and violent monster who ultimately destroys himself” (Nelson). She is referencing Macbeth listening to the prophecies given to him. As soon as he hears what the witches have to say, he acts immediately in any way possible to keep his power. Nelson is also hints to the fact that ambition is Macbeth’s tragic flaw and leads to his demise. Macbeth is so power hungry that he is willing to do anything possible to stay on the throne. Ambition is shown when he kills Banquo and attempts to kill Fleance because they threaten his…
In this third stage, Macbeth is driven by power and getting more nervous by the second, and vows to kill as much as necessary to keep the throne saftly. After Banquo's kill, Lady Macbeth starts having second thoughts and begins to RECEDE from center stage and Macbeth takes her place as the most COMPELLING character in the play. Macbeth's newly confident ambition and lack of sympathy is shown in his conversation with Lennox about the troublesome night of Banquo's murder. In this conversation, Lennox is upset and talks about Banquo's death and the BAD weather of the previous night, to which Macbeth can say nothing but, yes, " Twas a rough night" (act 2. Sc. 3. Ln. 57) . Because of Macbeths newfound confidence, he fails to notice right away that MacDuff is casting suspician on him. Then later, at the banquet, which ends up being the beginning of his DOWNFALL- Macbeth finds that Banquo has been killed, he sees his ghost sitting at the table, showing that his paranoia has been taken to a new level; hallucinations. At this point, he starts to backtrack and get nervous, admitting that he may have to kill more to keep the throne.Macbeth realizes that he can no longer go back, knowing that he is "in blood, stepped in so far that, (he) should wade no more" (Act 3. Sc. 4 Ln 135-136). Macbeths confidence is boosted once again when the witches tell him that no man born of a woman can harm him.…
He is considered a brave and courageous man, “…Like Valor’s minion carv’d out his passage…” 1, 2, 19, but after the witches prophesies, his life begins to change, making every word the witches spoke, come true. “All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis…Thane of Cawdor…that shalt be King hereafter…” 1, 3, 47-49. Macbeth, at first is reluctant to murder Duncan, but with persuasion from Lady Macbeth, he is able to continue as they had planned. From the crime that Macbeth commits, it leads to sleepless nights, and fear, “As they had seen me with these hangman’s hands...” 2, 2, 3. Soon Macbeth begins to feel troubled in his own body, fearing for his life, he decides to murder Banquo as he was beginning to be suspicious of the way Macbeth has been acting. But Banquo’s murder only causes Macbeth more troubles, at the state banquet; Macbeth begins to see things that only he can see, floating daggers with which he murdered Duncan with and the ghost of Banquo. “Is this a dagger which I see before me…” 2, 1, 33. The more murders there were the more mentally deranged and unstable Macbeth became, pushing him to the edge until he felt he had no choice but to consult the Weird Sisters so he could find some peace of mind, some thought of comfort. “I conjure you by that which you profess,” 4,…
A little after Macbeth kills the king, his friend Banquo starts to suspect this about him. He was also there when Macbeth heard about his future and is connecting the dots. Once Macbeth realizes this, he has Banquo killed as soon as possible. Macbeth says, “Banquo, thy soul's flight, If it finds heaven, must find it out to-night.”(III.i.160-163). He is now taking the initiative to remove Banquo from his life, and to relief, the suspicious put upon him. This one was all on Macbeth. He had no influence except his own, and killing Banquo was his own…