Banquo Flashcards
“What, can the devil speak true?”
Banquo is shocked to hear Macbeth receive the title of Thane of Cawdor and questions whether the witches prophecies had any truth to them. But he knows not to trust them anyway and refers to them as the “devil”.
“There if I grow, the harvest is your own”
Banquo uses nature as imagery to show that the fruits of his labour belong to the king (natural order). He is clearly not plotting regicide like Macbeth is after hearing the prophecies. This also shows his loyalty to Duncan.
“Merciful powers give restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature gives way to repose”
Banquo appeals to powers of ‘goodness’ to help him fight his worrisome thoughts and feelings of sleep (opposite to Lady Macbeth’s prayer to evil spirits). This shows his desire to become too good to consider murder instead of desire to be able to commit murder.
“Too cruel anywhere”
Banquo’s response to Lady Macbeth saying ‘what in our house?’ – shows that Banquo can see through her guise of innocence. He is suspicious of their role in Duncan’s murder.
“And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths”
Banquo notes that just because the Witches told the truth doesn’t mean that they’re not evil. Banquo understands far earlier than Macbeth that the Witches don’t necessarily have Macbeth’s best interests in mind, and their prophecies may turn out to be less positive than Macbeth believes.
“I fear thou played’st most foully for ‘t. “
Banquo reveals that he is suspicious of Macbeth, who, in becoming king, has achieved all that the Witches promised for him. He suspects that Macbeth might have been responsible for Duncan’s murder. This shows he is more loyal to Scotland and has better morals.
“O treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! Thou may’st revenge – O slave!”
In his dying breaths, Banquo urges his son, Fleance, to flee to safety, and charges him to someday revenge his father’s death. This sets the stage how the play will end, when Macbeth realizes that the Witches’ prophecy will come true, and Banquo’s children will rule Scotland.
