| At diner the ghost of Banquo presents itself to Macbeth. Macbeth begins talking to himself gaining unwanted attention from the guests and making himself look seriously mentally ill.…
1.Who accompanies Banquo at the opening of Act 2? What is his relation to Banquo?…
Once the exposition is established by the witches’ famous dialogue, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (I. i. 10), the reversal moral order is introduced as the theme of the play. This incident precedes the introduction of the diverse belief of both Macbeth and Banquo concerning the witches. Although Macbeth questions the witches’ prophecies in the beginning, he still maintains a flicker of hope that the prophecies are true. Macbeth’s belief in the witches’ predictions reveals to the audience that Macbeth is a credulous character. It only takes favourable prophecies for him to become convinced. During the first encounter between the witches, Macbeth and Banquo, Macbeth displays his anticipation to understand completely the words of the women,…
Macbeth is paranoid of losing his position, he wants to keep it to himself as well as to his descendants. As the three witches described Banquo: “Lesser than Macbeth and greater, not so happy yet much happier, thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.”, implying that Banquo is the root of many kings, Banquo and his son is a threat to Macbeth’s crown(1.3.68-70). Macbeth plans an assassination of Banquo and Fleance while they are on a ride before the dinner at Macbeth’s castle(3.1.129-144). Banquo is murdered and Fleance flees(3.3.29-30). Banquo’s ghost shows up at the dinner and scares Macbeth. Even though Macbeth doesn’t regret killing Banquo, he is still conscious of his terrible actions and the guilt of bringing Banquo to the end of his life. Macbeth at this point has become ruthless enough to murder his close…
‘Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake thy gory locks at me’, in this line Macbeth is showing the guilt he feels about having his closest friend mercilessly slain. If Macbeth had truly wanted to murder Banquo he wouldn’t feel the need to deny having Banquo murdered. The apparition of Banquo’s ghost would’ve been considered supernatural at the time but it is likely that Macbeth’s vision was a result of the extreme amount of guilt and anxiety he felt, not only for having Banquo murdered but also for killing Duncan and his guards and for framing Duncan’s sons. This display of emotion is significant to the play as it shows that Macbeth is not as evil as he wants everyone around him to believe and that he does feel fear. Banquo’s ghost is significant to Macbeth as it provides the readers or audience to see how Macbeth’s delusion and guilt affect…
“To be thus is nothing, but to be safety thus – our fears in Banquo stick deep.” Macbeth does not say in his soliloquy why he fears Banquo; because Banquo heard the witches’ prophecy and probably suspected Macbeth of the murder of King Duncan. Macbeth feels that Banquo is naturally superior to him, and being near Banquo makes him feel ashamed. Immediately after the murder of King Duncan and his ascent to the throne, Macbeth arranges for the murder of Banquo. He would rather see “the frame of things disjoin, both the worlds suffer,” than continue to “eat our meal in fear and sleep in affliction of these terrible dreams that shake us nightly.” Also, Macbeth has reason to fear Banquo as according to the witches’ prophecy, Banquo would not be king, but his children and their children would be kings, and he does not want a meaningless crown on his head that Banquo’s children would just steal off him.…
B: How is your night going, boy? He was asking how the night was going.…
In preparation for Banquo’s orchestrated murder, Shakespeare elaborates on Macbeth’s current state of guilt and desperation for reassurance to vindicate his heinous actions. In the midst of experiencing overwhelming compunction for killing Duncan, Macbeth fears that the outcome only “scotch’d the snake, not kill’d it” and fails to eliminate all threats to his supremacy (line 15). Duncan’s assassination provides a mere momentary and fleeting solution to complications as Banquo’s children’s possible preconceived heir remains a significant danger. With efforts to satisfy his ambitions, Macbeth justifies Duncan’s death by claiming that a grave fairs better than his own situation of being eternally tortured in “restless ecstasy” (line 24). Banquo’s…
Macbeth’s guilt is causing him to see hallucinations of Banquo’s ghost. “Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that which might appal the devil.” (Shakespeare pg.10) Macbeth hears from witches that Macduff is a threat and has his family murdered. “Seize upon Fife, give to the edge o’th’sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace his timeline.” (Shakespeare pg.14) Macbeth’s guilt takes him over and he starts to hallucinate and orders more people killed causing him to feel nothing.…
In this third stage, Macbeth is driven by power and getting more nervous by the second, and vows to kill as much as necessary to keep the throne saftly. After Banquo's kill, Lady Macbeth starts having second thoughts and begins to RECEDE from center stage and Macbeth takes her place as the most COMPELLING character in the play. Macbeth's newly confident ambition and lack of sympathy is shown in his conversation with Lennox about the troublesome night of Banquo's murder. In this conversation, Lennox is upset and talks about Banquo's death and the BAD weather of the previous night, to which Macbeth can say nothing but, yes, " Twas a rough night" (act 2. Sc. 3. Ln. 57) . Because of Macbeths newfound confidence, he fails to notice right away that MacDuff is casting suspician on him. Then later, at the banquet, which ends up being the beginning of his DOWNFALL- Macbeth finds that Banquo has been killed, he sees his ghost sitting at the table, showing that his paranoia has been taken to a new level; hallucinations. At this point, he starts to backtrack and get nervous, admitting that he may have to kill more to keep the throne.Macbeth realizes that he can no longer go back, knowing that he is "in blood, stepped in so far that, (he) should wade no more" (Act 3. Sc. 4 Ln 135-136). Macbeths confidence is boosted once again when the witches tell him that no man born of a woman can harm him.…
In the beginning Banquo is thinking well if the first thing the witches came true and made Macbeth king why can't his kids become king later. Then macbeth enters in the kings attire. Macbeth discusses his fear of the kids that left. Macbeth invites Banquo to the feast that night, and Banquo accepts his invitation. Banquo says he will make it, but he is going on a horse ride for the afternoon. Macbeth now is contemplating killing his best friend Banquo. The reason he worries is he doesn't want him or his family taking his power. He decides to hire the best assassins he knows to go kill Banquo will he is far away from the castle. They take off to get Banquo. They end up killing Banquo, then come back to the castle in the beginning of the dinner party. It is odd because Macbeth wants no one to know he was apart of the killing, but they pull him aside in the dinner party to talk about the killing. When he comes back to the dinner party he says where am I supposed to sit. They tell him right there there is a empty seat, and Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost. They start thinking he is crazy. He then says it is weird Banquo is not here I invited him. Lady macbeth interrupts saying he has seen things he was a little kid, and not to ask questions that…
This shows that Macbeth is too weak to kill Banquo himself, but still sees his ghost of guilt.…
When Macbeth saw Banquo’s ghost, Lady Macbeth attempted to play it off. She claimed “My lord is often thus, and hath been from his youth.” (3.4). This demonstrated her need to be accepted and that she still loved Macbeth. She refused to admit anything was wrong with her husband and wanted everyone to be seated and to enjoy their banquet. She managed to remain calm under pressure until finally falling apart demanding everyone to leave.…
Banquo’s ghost disappears into thin air but leaves an unpleasant shriek ringing in everyone’s ear and gush of wind that nearly blew the castle away. Right away Lady Macbeth felt knew and felt remorseful so, apologised on behalf of Macbeth and suggested everyone to leave. The sound of everyone pushing their chairs under the table bought Macbeth to tears as he knew that he had let down everyone. Macbeth lies his head to the side on the table and sighs,…
Macduff and Malcom have fled to England to seek help King Edward, to rid the tyrant Macbeth. Ignorant of the severity of his actions, Macbeth is unable to realize his faults. As a result of Macbeth’s own interpretations, he becomes so obsessed with taking the crown and fulfilling the prophecy that Macbeth will do anything, even if the actions are mortifying. His actions later fill him with unprepared guilt as evidenced with his confrontation with the ghost of Banquo. Upon first sight of the ghost Macbeth is in disbelief as he asks his other diners “which of you has done this?” (3.4.59). As Macbeth has been dismissing his actions to be just something influenced by the supernatural, he is unprepared to face a figure of someone he’s murdered. Banquo’s ghost being a symbol of Macbeth’s guilt shocks Macbeth, but Macbeth is unable to respond as he is finally realizing the consequences of his actions. This is exhibited in Macbeth’s talk to Lady Macbeth, claiming he is “in blood/ stepped in so far that, should I wade no more/ returning were as tedious as go o’er” (3.4.168-170). Finally realizing the severity of his actions, Macbeth is overwhelmed by guilt as he reviews his malevolent…
