Macbeth Act Three Scene One (Early Stages): Triangulation and Knowing in conversation.
Look how the dynamics of this opening scene change increasing dramatic tension as the audience wonder about the different motivations of each character and also at the different levels of knowing. Think about the triangulation of the conversation as Banquo is joined by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth but still in the public arena as they are also sharing the stage with the court. Each protagonist has their own agenda and these agendas are not fully apparent to each other. And the audience is also compromised by what we don’t know and what we know as well. A very multi-layered opening!
Lots of writers use this triangulation device. It adds suspense to a scene and also plays with the dynamics too, for a character may begin as an outsider or interloper but end the scene by usurping another’s position. The dynamic can also shift when someone leaves, especially when that character leaves behind the two who are unfamiliar with one another.
This triangulation also works well if two characters are preoccupied with an absent figure who is strangely present even though they are literally not. And of course, a character can be something more abstract like an idea or thing. Thus, in early Macbeth, the murder of King Duncan occupies the consciousnesses of Macbeth and his wife to such an extent that it takes over their conversation. In An Inspector Calls, Eva Smith haunts the play even though she is never on stage and in A Christmas Carol, the ghosts and Scrooge are witnesses to the behaviour of the latter so his past, present and future become tangible entities or reflections of self-hood, that unnerve the protagonist because of their palpable reality and destabilizing effects.
Shakespeare’s scene opens with Banquo on stage by himself. He utilises the soliloquy to convey his misgivings about King Duncan’s death and Macbeth’s probable involvement. ‘Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all ‘ Banquo delivers his suspicions through a gravely amazed list which begins with the ironic ‘it’ And ends cumulatively with the word ‘ all.’ This word carries the weight of his suspicions as it suggests the entirety of Macbeth s ambitions have arrived at this fulfilment of the witches’ predictions and that Macbeth has engineered such an outcome. The processing of Macbeth’s titles underlines the intimate knowledge that Banquo possesses about his friend. When he declares, ‘I fear ,Thou play’dst most foully for it.’ This acknowledgement clearly communicates Banquo’s assumptions about the murder of Duncan. The verb fear reveals the terrible moral responsibility that accompanies such suspicion and then the adverb ‘foully’ reminds the audience of the witches’ contaminating value system encapsulated in their paradoxical mantra that ‘ fair is foul.’ This echo of the witches’ language feels deliberate as if Banquo has rehearsed the witches’ encounter and predictions over and over again.
At this point, the audience might wonder about Banquo’s intentions in the light (and moral darkness) of this epiphany. Will he remain loyal to his friend despite his misgivings or will follow Macduff to England perhaps and join Malcolm? What will happen next?
Banquo surprises us by remaining detached, observing that Macbeth’s success is restricted to the now and not ‘posterity’ where it will be Banquo’s own family who will become ‘kings’ with Banquo as the ‘root.‘ We do wonder if this ‘hope’ seals Banquo’s silence about his suspicions, a fatal silence that brings about his death at the hands of Macbeth’s assassins. We also wonder if this silence shows too much reliance on the mutual history of loyalty between Banquo and his friend. If so, then the hamartia of complacency or trust on Banquo’s part precipitated his untimely death.
When Macbeth and his wife enter the stage as King and Queen they both adopt a tone of solicitude and flattery in speaking to Banquo. Macbeth declares Banquo as ‘ our chief guest’ notably adopting the plural ‘ our’ to underline not only his authority and shared Royalty with the Queen, but also as a form of pointed flattery as he singles Banquo out for attention from the rest of the court.
Lady Macbeth is also flattering if not effusive in her conspicuous attention to her husband’s friend. Interestingly she talks about Banquo in the third person through the use of the pronoun ‘he’ either showing a dignified detachment from Banquo or underlining her investment in her husband’s new position as King and showing her conversation is first and foremost directed at her husband. If the latter then ironically even though Lady Macbeth knows that Banquo is familiar with the witches’ prediction, she is unfamiliar (like the audience) with Macbeth s secret plan to murder his best friend.
It is possible that Banquo uses this moment to speak in a form of code to reassure his new King and best friend of his continued loyalty as he refers to their ‘ most indissoluble tie/Forever knit.’ This message underlines their enduring friendship and suggests this will continue which seems heavily ironic as unbeknownst to Banquo and Lady Macbeth, Macbeth is about to finalise the details of his friend’s murder. Maybe the code is not quite as innocent as it appears. It seems to communicate the longevity of their intimacy but I wonder if their ties also bind them because of their shared knowledge of the witches’ prophecy, a knowledge that might also imply a veiled threat or even the merest hint of blackmail? It could be heard as a coded guarantee of loyalty but with the possibility of a future cost or payoff?
Macbeth seems preoccupied with his own thoughts as his immediate question seems loaded with purpose which is blithely treated as innocent by Banquo-. ‘ Ride you this afternoon?’ This question about the geography of Banquo’s movements would have alerted the suspicions of many of the audience. Yet Banquo receives the enquiry without suspicion. We know he is insightful as he was eloquent about the witches’ possibly malign motivation. So why does he lack any realisation about his friend? Does he really see their ties as ‘ indissoluble’ and does this emanate from complacency or arrogance or trust? It is in any case, a fatal mistake: A self-destructive hamartia.
The Machiavellian connivance of Macbeth is then amply demonstrated by the vocalization of faux-disappointment about the missed opportunity for Macbeth to receive the benefit of Banquo’s ‘ grave’ advice, Instead, he will be forced to defer until ‘tomorrow‘ something literally impossible as Macbeth intends to have his friend murdered before then. Once again we notice an uneasy relationship between Macbeth and time. His arrogance leads him to attempt a God-like control over temporality. Yet this will unravel tragically and nihilistically in the ‘tomorrow and tomorrow’ speech.
Yet for all the Machiavellian deception the repetition of an enquiry about Banquo’s whereabouts signals a reckless haste mounting in Macbeth’s language. ‘Is’t far you ride?’ The audience is alerted to something malevolent but once again Banquo responds reassuring and pledges to ‘ not fail’ the Coronation feast.
Of course, this pledge to attend’ our feast‘ is ironically fulfilled by the appearance of Banquo’s ghost at the meal, an appearance that severely disrupts the celebration and raises doubts about Macbeth’s mental and moral state. If Banquo obeys his friend’s hypocritical plea to attend the feast, then what is feasted on by the Coronation guests is their King’s appearance of insanity, despite the increasingly perplexed appeals of the Queen to ignore his erratic behaviour.
So the triangulation of this exchange works to heighten the dramatic tension. Everyone is performing sincerity for very different reasons. Banquo, because he does not wish Macbeth to know of his suspicions, Macbeth, because he is ascertaining the whereabouts of his friend so his thugs can murder him (and he has kept his wife ignorant of the plans) and Lady Macbeth because she knows that Banquo knows that Macbeth was promised the throne by the witches!
It is interesting to read over the scene and ask yourself who knows what and who is in ignorance and why?
Triangulation gives this scene its uneasy undercurrents and can be adopted in your own creative writing.
- Take a scene, add three people and render one an outsider. Start a conversation. Maybe put them in a car, on a train or at a restaurant.
- Take a scene, add three people and render one an outsider. Start a conversation. Maybe put them in a car, on a train or at a restaurant.
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