Banquo

Question 1

‘The instruments of darkness tell us truths (…) to betrays’ (A1 S3)

Answer 1

• Appearance vs reality
• ‘Instruments’ - used as a vessel to corrupt by a higher force, later they refer to ‘our masters’ possibly the devil
• Link to daemonologie in which James described witches as ‘detestable slaves of the devil’
• Suggests they ‘play’ with the characters minds
• Banquo can see past the facade of prophecies, ideal Jacobean view
• However he does hinder interest at times, Shakespeare shows even the most noble can have their moral infrastructure shaken by supernatural, warning