Banquo

Question 1

How is Banquo presented throughout the play?

Answer 1

He is Macbeth’s trusted friend. At the start, he gets prophecies from the Witches but stops himself from intervening with the supernatural. Macbeth gets him killed as he is scared he will threaten his opportunity of becoming king.

Question 2

Key quotes from the start of the play and their analysis

Answer 2

Act 1 scene 3 :
- ‘what are these’ ‘that look not like the inhabitants of the Earth’ : shows his bravery because when he first meets the witches, he isn’t scared but instead stays to talk to them
- ‘noble partner’ ‘will hail Macbeth and Banquo’ : he is equal to Macbeth because they are referred to in the same sentence and they both enter the scene together for the first time.
- ‘why do you start and seem to fear things that do sound so far’ : first time Macbeth and Banquo slightly differ because banquo knows the witches are evil, but macbeth has an aside where he thinks about the prophecies and the possibility of him becoming king
- ‘devil’ ‘instruments of darkness’ : banquo is suspicious of the witches from the beginning and knows they are evil. He also knows that they will tell partial truths in order to lead people to their downfall (‘to win us our harm’)

Act 1 scene 4 :
- ‘noble’ ‘worthy’ : shows his respect and importance as he is called this by king Duncan

Question 3

Key quotes from the middle of the play and their analysis

Answer 3

Act 2 scene 1 :
- ‘I dreamt last night of the three weird sisters’ : Banquo is open about the witches and wants to talk about them a bit more. This contrasts to Macbeth as he claims to ‘think not of them’. This shows that macbeth is prioritising his own selfishness and ambition over honesty with a good friend.
- ‘so i lose none [no honour] in seeking to augment it’ : Banuqo wouldn’t do anything that isn’t honourable which emphasises his loyalty to Duncan. This directly contrasts to Macbeth as he murders Duncan and goes against the divine right of kings to gain power.

Question 4

Key quotes from the end of the play and their analysis

Answer 4

Act 3 scene 1 :
- ‘I fear thou play’dst most foully for’t’ : he is suspicious that Macbeth has murdered the king. ‘Foul’ mirros the witches which emphasises that even when they aren’t on the scene, their effect is always there.
- ‘royalty’ ‘reigns’ ‘wisdom’ : Macbeth fears Banquo and sees him as having king-like characteristics. He is almost obsessed with Banquo which results in his decision to order him and Fleance to be killed to try and prevent the prophecies of banquo’s descendants being future kings