Reality vs Appearance/Banquo Flashcards
“noble Banquo”, “worthy Banquo”, “no less deserv’d”, “wisdom that doth guide his valour” and a “royalty of nature”
“keep my allegiance clear”
“My
“Augment”
The honour of Banquo is debatable as it could be argued that his response to the Witches’ prophecy is actually strategic. It is important to consider why Shakespeare allows for this debate to be had, through his ambivalent portrayal of Banquo. Banquo is repeatedly referred to as being noble and honourable, throughout the play: “noble Banquo”, “worthy Banquo”, “no less deserv’d”, “wisdom that doth guide his valour” and a “royalty of nature”. Banquo states that he must “keep my allegiance clear” – is this allegiance to the past king (Duncan) which would make him a threat to Macbeth, or allegiance to any king (which could make him an ally). He speaks in terms of business: “my allegiance” – loyalty and commitment – “my” – almost like he’s selling it and “augment” – make something greater / increase. This gives the sense of him playing strategically – carefully chosen and non-committal language. Allowing him to reserve his judgement so he can choose to support whichever side will best benefit him.
