Banquo - Macbeths co-conspirator.
Robin Spacie
0N
Banquo
The historical Banquo, or Lochquhaber, was Macbeth's co-conspirator in Duncans regicide. It is also interesting to know that Holinshead describes Duncan not as a mature, strong King but a weak-willed young man unequal to the task of governing Scotland.
However, Shakespeare radically changed the mythical Banquo (Historians seriously doubt his existence.) because he was an ancestor of James I, the ruling king when Macbeth was produced.
In Macbeth Banquo is a loyal and honourable Scottish nobleman who is an impressive warrior in the King's army and Macbeth's best friend.
The audience first hears of Banquo in I:2 when Duncan asks if Banquo is dismayed at the Norwegians advantage in the battle that is being fought.
Dismay'd not this
Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?
This question portrays Macbeth and Banquo as brave, valiant fighters, an image which Macbeth loses throughout the play.
A Sergeant replies
As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion.
showing peoples high regard of Banquo, and also Macbeth at this stage, in that they compare them to lions and eagles: the mightiest of animals.
Banquo enters the play when he and Macbeth meet the witches in I:3. Both men hear their prophecies, Banquo is to be
Lesser than Macbeth, and greater...
Not so happy, yet much happier...
Thou shalt get Kings thou thou be none.
yet he chooses no to act on his prophecy whilst Macbeth does. He does not have Macbeth's tragic flaw. Banquo knows that the witches are evil and is not interested. He warns his Macbeth of the witches' true nature and is unmoved by their equivocating.
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence. I:3 124-126
However, Macbeth does not heed his friends advice and it is seen through the rapid deteriation of their friendship how the evil has taken root in Macbeth's mind. Macbeth begins to grow distant to those near him, whilst the honourable Banquo does nothing to fulfil his prophecy because he can see the witches' true motives.
Banquo is a good and loyal subject to Duncan. This is seen in I:4 when Duncan congratulates Banquo on his ...
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The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence. I:3 124-126
However, Macbeth does not heed his friends advice and it is seen through the rapid deteriation of their friendship how the evil has taken root in Macbeth's mind. Macbeth begins to grow distant to those near him, whilst the honourable Banquo does nothing to fulfil his prophecy because he can see the witches' true motives.
Banquo is a good and loyal subject to Duncan. This is seen in I:4 when Duncan congratulates Banquo on his recent victory.
Duncan: I have begun to plant thee, and will labour
To make thee full of growing...
Banquo: There if I grow,
The harvest is your own.
Banquo is saying that Duncan should take all the gratitude and that anything he has done has been because of Duncan.
Banquo meets Macbeth during the night in II:1 when he starts to privately question his friend. Banquo hears Macbeth and calls out
Who's there?
To which Macbeth replies,
A friend.
Very ironic considering that Macbeth lies to Banquo throughout the remainder of the scene and then has him murdered. Macbeth decides to murder Banquo during this scene because Banquo proves his loyalty to the rightful King, Duncan
Macbeth asks Banquo for his loyalty
If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis,
It shall make honour for you.
but Banquo firmly tells Macbeth that his only loyalty is to the King and he will do nothing wrong.
So I lose none
In seeking to augment it, but still keep
My bosom franchis'd and allegiance clear,
I shall be counsell'd.
Banquo has a very honest character and speaks his mind instead of equivocating like Macbeth.
Lady Macbeth makes a very jilted remark at the news of Duncans death
What! In our house?
To which Banquos remark is very honest, and also shows a disdain for what lady Macbeth has just said,
Too cruel anywhere.
Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself,
And say it is not so.
The second half of Banquo's speech is very short, plain and honest because he is genuinely shocked, unlike Macbeth whose flowery verse seems out of place so soon after a dreadful event.
Banquo begins to suspect Macbeth after Duncan's murder when Macbeth crowns himself King because he is the only person, apart from Macbeth, who knows of the witches prophecies.
I fear,
Thou play'dst most foully for 't
If Banquo had lived, Macbeth may have been caught earlier before he could commit so many murders. However, Banquo cannot live because Macbeth is too jealous of him. Macbeth has got what he initially wanted but now he wants his descendants to be heir to the throne instead of Banquo. Macbeth lies to Banquo throughout the scene, saying things such as
Here's our chief guest...
If he had been forgotten,
It had been a great gap in our great feast...
(Ironic when Banqous ghost fills the space left by Banquo's body)
Banquo is brutally killed by murderers in III:3. The very manner of the death shows Macbeth's character: Very cruel, deceitful and cowardly. The murderers are not honourable, Macbeth even includes a third murderer to make sure the other two murderers complete the task. The setting for the ambush is in the dark when Banquo is unsuspecting and with a child. Macbeth even feels the need to lie about Banquo to make the murderers complete their task:
Know
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. (III:1 78-80)
Macbeth is saying that Banquo is the reason for the murderers being what they are.
When the murderers attack, Banquo is very brave and honourable. He says
Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!
Thou mayst revenge.
which is very brave and shows his paternal feelings. Compare Banquo's bravery and self sacrifice to Macbeth's soliloquy in III:1.
My genius is rebuked.
There is something about Banquo which makes Macbeth question himself because Banquo is fearless and acts with wisdom whilst Macbeth is spontaneous.
Banquo is killed but his ghost returns to haunt Macbeth in III:4. The significance of this is that Macbeth is terrified by the apparition of Banquo because Banquo is what Macbeth can never be again. Banquo has also defied Macbeth by returning when Macbeth thought he was rid of Banquo forever. The banquet scene is a very clever way of illustrating the state that Scotland is in. The banquet starts in order as Scotland was before Macbeth was King. It then quickly descends into chaos like Scotland.
Banquo is an important character because he provides a comparison to Macbeth. Whilst Macbeth is taken in by the witches and becomes a despot Banquo remains virtuous and good. Banquo's flaw is his lack of ambition. Whilst Macbeth had too much and it led him to his death Banquo lacks any and this stops him from progressing.
There is another interpretation of Banquo's character that is equally valid as the one above. The interpretation below was used in the 1955 Stratford production.
Banquo does not tell anyone of his suspicions because he is waiting to see how the prophecy unfolds. If the witches were right then his descendants will be Kings. . In II:1, as Banquo encounters the seething Macbeth before the murder, Banquo seems to guardedly agree with Macbeth by saying
I shall be counsell'd. (II:1 29)
At the end of III:3, Macbeth enters to observe (and, indeed, to some extent frighten off) the fleeing Malcolm and Donalbain. Then, as he goes into the hall he meets Banquo. Nothing is said but a look passes between the two; a moment of complicity. The director even wrote that
[Banquo] is the first person, I think, to suspect the truth about the murder of Duncan, but he says nothing. Why?.... I think his silence about the Witches is mostly on account of his own interest in the future of the Crown.... I don't think that it is possible to believe that he remains silent only out of friendship for Macbeth; & if it is fear that prevents him from telling the truth, & he is completely honest, then he could leave the country. Of course he is not a villain but is not a simple honest man either. He has his own particular form of ambition."
Sources:
www.delawaretheatre.com
www.learn.co.uk
Letts Explore: Macbeth
