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| 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.…
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Macbeth then leads his men in a toast but in the midst of his toast, his fears and conscious takes him and he begins to see Banquo at the table with them. Macbeth begins to worry, as well as all the other lords, that his safety and sanity may be broken. The lords stand close as if to try and protect him from the demons that are quite obviously trying to corrupt him.…
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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…
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The condemnation first starts when the witches tell Macbeth and Banquo the future that one of them will be king. Macbeth is instantly thrilled about the news, yet Banquo is wary of their fate that was foretold. Once the witches leave Banquo says, “The instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray in deepest consequence”. Macbeth disregards the warning and advances home. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth of his newly appointed position. Lady Macbeth quickly devises a retched plan to murder the king so Macbeth can seize power. Lady shoots poisonous arrows into Macbeth’s thoughts, yet Macbeth gleans to not disturb the arrows. Macbeth murders his first victim for the throne of Cawdor. He then continues to kill the two watch guards so that their screams of deceit cannot be heard by the ears of justice. The people of Cawdor are now leery of Macbeth’s actions, but since he is appointed king they follow in fear of his rule. Banquo knows in his mind the Macbeth is to not be trusted and he leaves the scene very quickly. The king’s sons also leave along with MacDuff before they are next to receive the kiss of death.…
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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…
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Macbeth realizes this and becomes more and more paranoid until finally, he decides to kill Banquo without any input from Lady Macbeth who had been the one to really push the first murder. He has taken matters into his own hands, and Banquo dies. That night, before a banquet Macbeth has arranged for the nobles of his kingdom begins, the murderers that Macbeth hired to kill his friend return. Macbeth exclaims, “There’s blood on thy face!” to which the murderer replies, “Tis Banquo’s then.” Macbeth gleefully retorts, ” ’Tis better thee without than he within,” meaning that if Banquo’s blood is on the face of the murderer, it cannot be flowing through Banquo’s veins, and he is dead. The dialogue continues and Macbeth learns that Banquo was left in a ditch with “Twenty trenched gashes on his head.” Later in the same scene, at the banquet, just as Macbeth is talking about how he wishes Banquo was here to keep up appearances, Banquo’s ghost appears to Macbeth alone with his hair matted with drying blood. After the ghost has left, Macbeth tells himself, “Blood hathe been shed ere now, I’ the olden time/ Ere human statute purged the gentle weal,” meaning that mean have killed each other since long before there were laws against it. He is telling himself that to kill and shed blood as merely a part of nature and impossible to be avoided, there is nothing one can do about it and there is nothing unholy about it…
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Macbeth, after hearing the prophecies the three witches gave him, becomes conflicted within himself, ‘If chance shall have me King, why, chance may crown me, without my stir’. Ultimately, Macbeth chooses ambition over morality, but not without pressure from his wife ‘Are you a man?’ and severe inner turmoil ‘My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical’. To contrast the devious character of Macbeth, Shakespeare included Banquo, a fellow noblemen and Macbeth’s closest friend, to act as Macbeths foil. He immediately chooses morality over ambition without question and forewarns Macbeth of the Weird Sisters and their ability to twist the truth: ‘instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence’. Banquo’s undying allegiance to King Duncan demonstrations the difference between Macbeth and Banquo, and how the upkeep of morals keep us in check. After choosing power, Macbeth’s suspicion of Banquo and his role in the prophecy leads to Banquo’s murder. After killing his friend, Macbeth is plagued with guilt, and hallucinations become recurrent for both Macbeth; ‘our graves must send those we bury back’ and his wife; ‘will these hands ne’er be clean?’ This shows that ambition can lead to immoral acts when overcome by desire.…
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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.…
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“Is this a dagger which I see before me,/ the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.” (2.1.33-34). He realizes that the dagger is just an image in his mind, but decides that it is a result of his fear and continues with the task. This is the first point where Macbeth shows a sign of a mental breakdown, although he is still able to think somewhat rationally. This ultimately evolves into a hardened Macbeth and causes him to continue with his horrific actions until he is out of control. The murder of King Duncan is followed by the murders of many others, including his closest friend Banquo. The build-up of guilt begins the affect Macbeth’s mental state more and more until he can no longer think straight. He begins to hallucinate and on occasion has visions of the ghost of Banquo. The ghost first appears at the banquet, where Macbeth sees the bloody image of Banquo sitting at the dinner table. His horrific reaction alone shows the guilt he has for the murder, and the fact that no other guests at the banquet are aware of the ghost confirms that the ghost has been made up in Macbeth’s head. This is the point at which the…
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The witches’ prophecies lead to his ambitions of wanting his descendants to be Kings causing him to keep the truth from everyone and live in secrecy. This in a way leads to his death. From Banquo’s first encounter with the Weird Sisters, his life also changes and he loses sleep. “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be one.” 1, 3, 35. The witches’ prophesized that Banquo will be father of Kings, yet he cannot be King, but his ambitions overwhelm him leading to a point where the truth no longer could be spoken. Like Macbeth, Banquo is also very ambitious but compared to Macbeth, his selfish wants never over powered his honour nor the good of Scotland. Banquo is seen as a threat to Macbeth as Banquo is slowly becoming suspicious of him, “…As the weird women promis’d, and I fear Thou playd’st most foully for’t…” 3, 1, 2-3, hence triggering Macbeth to kill him, but Macbeth’s conscience won’t let him live it down, hence the scene where Banquo’s ghost visits Macbeth during his state banquet. “Here is a place reserv’d, sir…Where…Here, my good Lord. What is’t that moves your highness?” 3, 4, 46-48. On the same night of Macbeth’s state banquet is the same night in which the murder of Banquo occurs. Whilst making his way home with his son Fleance, they are attacked by three murderers who are ordered by Macbeth. However, the murderers are not as fortunate when Fleance, son of Banquo escapes leaving the murderers to discard of…
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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…
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As the play unrolls, other examples of irony, adding a touch of confusion to the plot, are established. Several hours before Macbeth's commemorational feast, he meets with Banquo, asking him not to miss the exceptional ceremony: "Fail not our feast." (3.1.28). Macbeth obviously realizes that Banquo's death has been arranged and that he won't be alive to assist the feast, nonetheless, Banquo's ghost ironically makes an appearance during the banquet, aggravating Macbeth's insane state of…
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Macbeth becomes more isolated over the course of Acts Three and Four because he has crumbled. After Duncan’s murder Macbeth pulled himself away from many people or became distant, including Banquo and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth begins to resent Banquo because his children are seen to be Kings one day. Macbeth feels threatened by Banquo because he is paranoid that Banquo is the only one who knows about the witches and their prophecies. Macbeth decides the best way to take care of this is to have Banquo killed. “Know Banquo was your enemy.” This shows how Macbeth’s new enemy is Banquo. As the play goes on Macbeth becomes more isolated because of the guilt and paranoia of the murders. His isolation towards Lady Macbeth causes her pain. “How now, my lord, why do you keep alone.” This shows how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are slowly separating. The murders Macbeth are responsible for pushes his sanity over the edge. Due to his guilt Macbeth starts to see things that are not real. At his reception dinner Macbeth was asked to sit at a table and he says “The tables full.” Macbeth thinks the table is full because he sees the ghost of Banquo. This causes him to have a scene in front of his company. They all don’t know why because he is the only one who can see the ghost. Everyone leaves the party which causes him to be more isolated. Also MacDuff did not attend the party. Macbeths crumble causes him to become isolated by everyone who once loved him.…
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Macbeth’s new position as king, gives him the power to delegate his needs to other people which he uses to hire murderers to slaughter Banquo. This proves that Banquo’s life means nothing to him anymore now that Banquo’s knows about Macbeth’s involvement in Duncan’s death. Banquo’s statement of “thou hast it now-king, Cawdor, Glamis, as the Weïrd women promised, and I fear thou played’st most foully for ‘t” shows Banquo’s realization of Macbeth’s involvement in Duncan’s murder but by the time he does it is too late for salvation. This worries Macbeth because his lies are catching up to him and they threaten to take his crown. The thought of killing Banquo once a never come to plight now seems as the only solution to an ever growing problem. Banquo’s ending set forth Macbeth’s notion of the crown leading to happiness. This murderous action, even though not directly taken by Macbeth, even more so painted Macbeth in a murderous light that will follow him on his path to…
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Macbeth feels the dear so deeply that he hires three murderers and convinces them to end Banquo and Fleance’s lives. Later on, during the Banquet scene, Macbeth hallucinates an image of Banquo’s ghost. This occurrence shows Macbeth how far south his mind has gone, as well as demonstrating for all of his guests that he is truly unfit to rule over Scotland. “ If thou canst nod, speak too. / If charnel-houses and our graves must send / Those that we bury back, our monuments / Shall be the maws of kites,” (Shakespeare 3.IV.84-87) Banquo’s murder is yet another event in which Macbeth experiences the disintegration of his mind, and is one of the major stepping stones that leads to his total and complete loss of…
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