SH+P4+2015+Banquo+(King+James+cousin)

Aim (Tatjana Wagner):

Lord Banquo was a general in the King’s army, who was also Macbeth’s best friend. “ Banquo pledges allegiance to Macbeth as long as his reputation is not lost. Macbeth fears Banquo because it was prophesied that Banquo's offspring would be kings” ( //Banquo //). He is with Macbeth when they stumble upon the three witches. Banquo is supposed to be a foil to Macbeth, so he is the opposite of Macbeth. “But while Banquo in large part serves in the play as a foil to Macbeth, he, unlike most of the other supporting characters, interests us in and of himself” (//Character of Banquo//). His character is said to be very ambitious, and this is what interests the reader, and also helps his character and Macbeth’s character. Banquo’s death, and knowing that he wanted to rise again without any “dirty work” (and with the knowledge of him being a foil to Macbeth), tells a lot about Macbeth’s character. Banquo not only serves as a foil to Macbeth, but he is also an intriguing character to the audience that greatly contributes and affects the story line.

Stewart-Zimmerman, Margaret. //Banquo//. Margaret Stewart-Zimmerman, 2010. Web. 26 October, 2015.

//Character of Banquo//. Digital Desk. Web. 27 October, 2015.

Historical (Connor Kinney):



William Shakespeare wrote Macbeth on his influence of the history of Irish Isles. The majority of the characters in Macbeth are based off of historical figures. “All of the major characters in Macbeth are historical with the exceptions of Banquo and his son Fleance. Shakespeare got Banquo and Fleance from Holinshed, who reported them as real historical persons. However, modern history considers them to have been a myth promoted by the dynasty which ruled Scotland during Holinshed's, and Shakespeare's, time” (Spradley 2). Banquo is most likely a glorification of famous historical figures of the time. Because of his adoration for the history, Shakespeare made him out to be a perfect role model and a good samaritan in the famous play. “Historically, Banquo was an ancestor of King James I of England. Macbeth was first presented for James. In Holinshed's Chronicles, which was Shakespeare's source for the story, Banquo helped Macbeth murder the king. Many critics believe that Shakespeare changed Banquo's role to please King James” (PinkMonkey). The character is glorifying the source material. And in that glorification has become the most humble of all the characters in the play.

Citations:

"460+ Free Book Summaries and Study Guides." 460+ Free Book Summaries and Study Guides. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.

Spradley, Dana. "Shakespeare.com FAQ." Shakespeare.com FAQ. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.

Culture (Marissa Walker) :



In Macbeth, Banquo is first an ally to Macbeth and all is good for a while. However, it is clear that Macbeth and Banquo are vastly different and it’s for these reasons that lead to Banquo’s ultimate death. For example, when Macbeth and Banquo go to see the Three Witches, they tell the two that Macbeth will be king and Banquo will not; however, while Banquo himself may not be king, his descendants will. From there, Macbeth places his hope in the prediction that he will be king, Banquo argues that evil only offers gifts that lead to destruction. Banquo steadily resists the temptations of evil within the play, praying to heaven for help, while Macbeth seeks darkness, and prays that evil powers will aid him” (Wikipedia). Macbeth is a strong believer in the idea that “evil powers” and “darkness” will do most of the labor for his adventure into being king, while Banquo avoids the “temptations of evil” and does everything on the better side of things, if you will. Another example of Macbeth and Banquo being polar opposites was due to their personality. Banquo is described as being “ everything Macbeth is not: kind, virtuous, loyal and astute” (The role of Banquo in Macbeth). The fact that the people in the society in which they lived in probably preferred Banquo, plus combined with Macbeth’s lust for power resulted in a character (Banquo) shows modern culture and society that the good does not always beat out the bad.

// Wikipedia //. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.
 * Citations: **

"The Role of Banquo in "Macbeth"" (n.d.): n. pag. Macbeth Essay. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.

Audience (Connor Kinney):



Bancour is the audience’s perspective of the events in the story. In the beginning, Macbeth and Banquo are friends and war partners. The witches tell of Macbeth’s future. As the audience witnesses these events, they are skeptical of the witches’ prophecy. “Are ye fantastical, or that indeed Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner You greet with present grace and great prediction Of noble having and of royal hope, That he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not. If you can look into the seeds of time And say which grain will grow and which will not, Speak, then, to me, who neither beg nor fear Your favors nor your hate” (Macbeth 1.3). Banquo speaks for the audience when he is skeptical of the three witches’ prophecy. But is jealous of Macbeth so he asks for his as well. Both traits are shown in the one line. He is jealous of Macbeth but in many respects superior to him. “You might think it odd that both Banquo and Macbeth so easily believe the witches' prophesies without stepping back to consider the source of these predictions. However ambitious both Macbeth and Banquo are, the two men respond to these prophesies in two radically different ways that further highlight their characters” (Study.com).

Citations:

Notari, Debbie. "Banquo and Macbeth." Study.com. N.p., 2003. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.

Shakespeare, William, and Alan Durband. Macbeth: Modern English Version Side-by-side with Full Original Text. Woodbury, NY: Barron's, 1985. Print.