When Duncan proclaims Macbeth to be Thane of Cawdor, although surprised he is also very pleased with himself and his ambitions begin to take a firmer hold. Banquo however, is not impressed by the predictions and thinks more deeply about the consequences and that bag things may happen as a result. He shows a more restrained and thoughtful character, ‘ Win us honest trifles, to betray’s / In deepest consequence. ‘
Macbeth lies to cover up his thoughts, plans and actions, for example when Macbeth is planning the murder of Duncan and is having second thoughts about it, Lady Macbeth tell him to, ‘ look like th’innocent flower, / but be the serpent under’t ‘ Banquo, on the other hand is open and honest in all his thought and actions.
Macbeth is shocked by his own thoughts of murdering Duncan and troubled by the ambition that in now beginning to eat into him, ‘ why do I yield to that suggestion, / whose horrid image doth unfix my hair. ‘ Macbeth lies to Banquo about his thoughts and ambitions and hides this from him. Banquo however, see that Macbeth is taken with the idea of becoming King, ‘ Look how our partner’s rapt. ‘ Banquo does not want to do anything dishonourable but suspects Macbeth might do something bad to achieve his aim. Banquo conscientiously fights any evil thought he might have, ‘ Restrain in me… ‘ demonstrating that Banquo was very aware that something bad was about to happen. He cannot accept this because of his strong sense of what is right and his loyalty towards Duncan, although he does nothing to prevent the tragedy.
When Duncan announces Malcolm to be the heir to the throne, Macbeth is angry and disgusted, ‘ …Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires… ‘, and realises that this might prevent him becoming King.
Macbeth is very easily manipulated, especially by Lady Macbeth, ‘ …When you durst do it, then you were a man… ‘. Lady Macbeth is accusing him of cowardice and lack of manliness, she plays on Macbeth’s pride by saying when he kills Duncan he will become manlier. She also said that she would be prepared to kill her own child rather than break a promise, ‘ …I have given suck and know / how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me: / I would, while it was smiling in my face, / have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums / and dashed the brains out, has I so sworn / as you have done to this. ‘ However, Banquo makes up his own mind and does not allow Macbeth to persuade him to change it – he keeps his conscience clear, ‘ So I lose none / in seeking to argument it, but still keep / my bosom franchised and allegiance clear, / I shall be counselled.‘ Banquo believes in the Chain of Being, the order of humanity and that the King should be protected.
Macbeth, before he murders Duncan, begins to wrestle with his conscience as he realises that this is wrong and has many self-doubts; ‘ …If th’assassination / could trammel up the consequence and catch / with his surcease, success that but this blow / might be the be-all and the end-all…’ In his soliloquy in Act 1, scene 7, we hear his inner thought as he struggles with the evil in him. However unlike Banquo, he ignores his inner good voice and goes on to commit murder even though he knows this to be wrong.
The idea of upsetting the natural order of humanity was very important in Elizabethan times; as soon as anything bad took place, such as murder, it upset God’s will and the way things were meant to be. They believed when this happened God would catch up with them and the murderer would lose everything, be humiliated, and die a horrible death. The Aristotlean Conventions of Tragedy implies for this to be cathartic for the audience: they are to leave the play thing what is both right and wrong. The characters of Macbeth, led astray by his ambition and Banquo, the honourable man provides the contrast between good and evil. Macbeth is a tragic hero; he has the nobility and respectability but has tragic flaw in his character, his ambition, which leads to his downfall.
