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Essay Title: ​Write about the relationship between Macbeth and Banquo
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Close friends/Equals
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Deceitful/Dishonest Friendship
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Macbeth fears Banquo
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Banquo embodies Macbeth’s guilt
BANQUO IS A FOIL FOR MACBETH
Paragraph 1​ – Act 1 – Equals
OVERALL –​ Initially, Macbeth and Banquo are introduced as close friends, who see each other as equals, although
this changes suddenly after their encounter with the Witches
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Banquo is Macbeth’s foil
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‘thou hast no less deserved’ – although it appears that Macbeth’s achievements overshadow
Banquo, they are seen as equally honourable in Duncan’s eyes
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[Banquo to Macbeth]​ ‘My duties/Are with a most indissoluble tie/Forever knit
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Paragraph 2​ – Deceit
OVERALL ​– Relationship becomes one of suspicion and sycophancy
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[Banquo] – ​‘I fear/Thou played’st most foully for ‘t
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He becomes suspicious of how Macbeth became King – link to ​‘Fair is four, and foul is fair’​,
although everyone believes he got the crown fairly, it was foul-play (Witches have affected their
relationship)
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Despite these doubts, he still calls Macbeth ​‘My Lord’​ to his face
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‘I’ll request your presence’ ‘fail not our feast’ ​
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Macbeth makes a concerted effort to make Banquo trust him and feel as though their friendship
is still honorable
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Sycophantic but then goes on to plot Banquo’s murder – two-faced relationship
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‘Ride you this afternoon?’ ‘Is ‘t far you ride?’ ‘Goes Fleance with you?’​
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Insistent questioning – determined to find out details about Banquo’s journey
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Appears as though he is being a good friend – in reality wants to know details for his murder
plot
AUDIENCE RESPONSE​ – Audience start to question how genuine their friendship is – loss of respect for both
characters in some sense as they go against their ‘noble’ and ‘worthy’ first impressions
Paragraph 3​ – Fear
OVERALL​ – Macbeth begins to consider the Witches’ Prophecy that Banquo’s sons will be Kings after him and he
starts to see Banquo as a threat to his hold on power
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Soliloquy – Macbeth’s deepest thoughts show that he not only sees Banquo (and his sons) as an obstacle
to his power, but also fears him
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[Macbeth] ​‘Our fears of Banquo/Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature/Reigns that which
would be feared’ ​
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Semantic field of kingship suggests that Macbeth feels as though Banquo is already King,
and that he is threatening his position of power – Doubts Banquo’s loyalty
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Does
Macbeth fear Banquo will still lead to his loss of power as the Witches’ prophesied? (FORESHADOWING
to the Ghost?)
AUDIENCE RESPONSE​ – Although Macbeth is giving the audience a negative view of Banquo, the audience still side
with Banquo and view Macbeth as a paranoid murderer
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Paragraph 4​ – Guilt
OVERALL ​– Banquo’s ghost is an embodiment of Macbeth’s guilt at the murder of old friends (Duncan and Banquo)
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Macbeth sees the Ghost of Banquo
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Audience may or may not be able to see him – is he real? (would make sense in a play with
supernatural elements) or is he in Macbeth’s imagination?
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Interesting that it is Banquo and not Duncan – Even though Macbeth didn’t ACTIVELY kill
Banquo, it implies he was closer to him if he feels guiltier about his murder
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[Macbeth to Banquo’s Ghost] ​‘Thou canst not say I did it
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Repeats the idea that Macbeth is
not necessarily the more dominant of the two
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Semantic field of murder – ‘gory’ and then later on ​‘blood will have blood’​
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Even after death Banquo’s morality is influencing Macbeth
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’​
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Exclamative phrase breaks iambic pentameter – shows his shock and fear
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Imperative ‘quit’ and declarative sentence show Macbeth trying to take control of the situation

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