banquo- quote explanations

Cards (7)

  • “lesser than macbeth and greater”
    • paradoxical prophecies
    • could hint at the fact that banquo will not see his reputation sink as low as macbeths
    • doesnt experience the same psychological torment as macbeth
    • doesnt succumb to the temptation of paying heed to the witches
    • dies with a moral purity that macbeth could only wish for
  • “the instruments of darkness… betray’s in deepest consequence”
    • audience can see banquo ability to contain his ambition
    • able to resist the witches evil
    • superlative ‘deepest’ emphasises banquos awareness of the dangers of succumbing to the witches
    • shakespeare presents banquo as the character who takes the higher moral ground
  • “there’s husbandry in heaven, their candles are all out”
    • suspicious of something but unable to pinpoint it
    • lack of stars in sky could represent the forthcoming actions of M and LM which bring darkness to scotland
    • darkness could foreshadow banquo impending death
  • “merciful powers/ cursed thoughts”
    • noticeably on edge
    • seems uncertain and uneasy
    • distracted by bad dreams since meeting the witches
    • plagued by his ‘cursed thoughts‘, which rest heavily on his mind and prevent him from sleeping
    • in jacobean england it was commonly believed that bad dreams were caused by demons
    • stark contrast to then M and LM call on spirits to assist them in evil acts
    • banquo is morally superior to macbeth
  • “bosom franchis’d”
    • banquo is a staunch defender of his integrity
    • perhaps suspects that macbeth is planning something and wants to protect himself
    • he will only gain respect by acting honourably
    • will not enter any form of corruption if it means he cannot keep his ‘allegiance clear’
  • “this most bloody piece of work’
    • portrayed as the mouthpiece of loyalty
    • shakespeare presents banquo as the spokesperson for morality
  • “thou played’st most foully for’t”
    • has grave doubts about macbeth but doesn’t publically voice his scepticism
    • banquo unvoiced qualms have given macbeth free reign to commit unthinkable crimes
    • adjective ‘foully’ is a direct reference to the witches incantation from act 1
    • macbeth has behaved ‘foully’ to live the ‘fair’ life which was proposed to him
    • verb ‘played’st’ usually associated with games so perhaps banquo is being critical of macbeths perception of competition
    • macbeth saw kingship as the prize to this game and the end goal which he’d stop at nothing to achieve