Banquo

Question 1

“If you can look into the seeds of time,// and say which grain will grow and which will not,// speak then to me”
act 1
religious + supernatural

Answer 1

• Banquo carries the message about the importance of resisiting evil; Shakespeare advocates turning to God for support
• In the bible it says “Sow your seed in the morning”
• The natural imagery parallels to the Bible; thus Banquo seeking solace in Biblical teachings - using these to protect him from malevelent supernatural forces
• A natural semantic field is established with “seeds” and “grains”. This reinforces how Banquo remains obident to the natural order and to God - he does not try to alter his position akin to Macbeth

Question 2

“candles are all out”
act 2
appearnece vs realtiy

Answer 2

• Embelmetic of Jesus as he confesses his temptation, Banquo claims the heaven’s “candles are all out”. Banquo seeks solace from heaven
• Opposed to Macbeth “stars hide your fires”. This motif os stars exposes Macbeth and Banquo as diametrically opposed in their aspirations
  -Macbeth wants to hide his malicious intentions from God yet Banquo wants to confess his temptations to be free

Question 3

“royalty of nature”
act 3
ambition

Answer 3

• emphaisis his noble and majestic nature but is not powered by his ambition
  -“royalty” connotates power and status. Macbeth recognises that Banquo has maintained his power as an amibitious stoic hero
• This idea is compound shortly after, when Macbeth describes him as “wise”, implying a rational and intelligent character
• Banquo is depicted as having and exeplary balance of ambitition and respectibiltity
• doesn’t have a fall from grace as doesn’t indulge in temptations

Question 4

“he hath wisdom that doth guide his valour to act in safety”
(about Banquo from Macbeth)
Act 3
ambition

Answer 4

• Banquo is a foil to Macbeth as Macbeth embodies reckless power whereas Banquo has control and self constraint
• Macbeth is envious ( 1 of 7 deadly sins) of Banquo’s ability to restrain his ambition and refrain from over indulgence into “deep desires”

Question 5

“look not like th’inhabitants o’th’earth”
supernatural
act 1

” I dream’d of the three weird sisters last night”
supernatural
act 3

Answer 5

• Macbeth and Banquo meet the witches for the first time, Banquo perceives the overt evil and duhumanises them through description
• Banquo is portrayed as perceptive as it was believed he was ancestor of James I, this is a form of indirect flattery
• He is plagued by the thoughts of the witches’ prophecies. It seems superstition is taking a hold on him and trespassing on his unconscious
• In contrast to Macbeth was “does not think of them” he is honest, characterising him as moral in order to amplifiy Macbeth’s dishoensty and deception