Banquo

• Foil


  A character used to contrast with the characteristics of a protagonist
• Banquo as a foil


  • Contrasts with the character of Macbeth
  • Highlights character traits that are very particular to Macbeth, that an author wants to explore
• Banquo


  Represents the typical behaviours and attitudes of the Jacobean era, the societal norms
• Unlike Macbeth, Banquo

  • Is very suspicious of the witches
  • Is honest
  • Is loyal
  • Is devoutly Christian
• Because Banquo represents the societal norms

  Shakespeare makes him rightly suspicious of Macbeth's behaviour
• Banquo's suspicions of Macbeth

  • Immediately after meeting the witches, he thinks Macbeth is strange "rapt", or spellbound
  • After Macbeth becomes king, he says that he believes Macbeth "play'dst most foully for it": he thinks Macbeth got the crown by evil means