Banquo’s importance in the play is dependent upon his encounter with the witches, which he shares with Macbeth. The contrast between Macbeth’s ‘rapt’ reaction to the witches’ promises of promotion and Banquo’s far more sceptical questioning of the witches’ moral motivation, sets up the audience’s belief in Banquo as a consistent site of psychological and moral stability.
Banquo is an attentive observer of the witches and of their effect upon his most susceptible friend. Banquo’s detachment renders him trustworthy in the audience’s eyes, yet ironically also condemns him to an untimely death as he simply knows too much and is too moral to be corrupted. The contrast between the witches’ powerful conquest of Macbeth’s conscience (and imagination) with Banquo’s measured scepticism is considerable. This moral gulf alerts the audience to the probability that Macbeth’s reaction must be connected to some repressed ambitions which pre-existed the literal appearance of the witches themselves. We may also suspect that Macbeth lives on a daily basis with a highly ambitious wife, whose influence upon her older husband mirrors that of the witches too.
Of course, the fact that Banquo’s heirs are promised to be future Kings is also a threat to Macbeth’s monarchy and later reminds Macbeth of the ‘fruitless’ Kingship ahead. The witches have most likely designed this prediction to destroy Banquo, knowing as they do from the beginning, that they cannot tempt Banquo into moral degradation. The witches deliberately ignore Banquo as his nobility is ‘alien’ to them, and so, when he demands their attention, they malignly promise him something that they know will jeopardise his life., because, in a world preoccupied with heirs and potency, it is easy to understand how Banquo’s ‘future’ lineage/potency, agitates the mental health of his erstwhile best friend.
So let’s ask ourselves several questions to deepen our appreciation of this scene.
- Why does Macbeth repeat the ‘foul and fair’ mantra of the witches and what does this linguistic contamination say about Macbeth’s moral future?
- What is the effect of Banquo’s incisive existential question, ‘Live you?’ and what does this suggest about his understanding of the witches? Would this question align him with the audience?
- Why does Banquo notice the ‘start’ of Macbeth and what does this recognition reveal? Is he already aware of Macbeth’s secret ambitions?
- What is the significance of Banquo’s demand, ‘speak then unto me’ and how does this affect our understanding of the rivalry between the two warriors? Do the witches attempt to ignore Banquo to taunt him or because they view his ethical and noble character as ‘alien’ as not corruptible?
- How are their reactions to the witches’ vanishing contrasted and with what effect?
- Why is Banquo silent for forty lines of the play when the death of Duncan is announced? Is he consciously suspicious of Macbeth’s role in the King’s untimely death? If so, why does he support the thanes choice of Macbeth as the next King once Malcolm and Donalbain flee?
- How can we read the last conversation between Macbeth and Banquo concerning the latter’s invitation to the coronation feast and the distance Banquo will travel?
As far, my lord, as will fill up the time’Twixt this and supper.
Is Banquo dismissive or naive here? Can you detect tension?
The weird sisters, hand in hand,
Posters of the sea and land,
Thus do go about, about:
Thrice to thine and thrice to mine
And thrice again, to make up nine.
Peace! the charm’s wound up.Enter MACBETH and BANQUO
How far is’t call’d to Forres? What are these
So wither’d and so wild in their attire,
That look not like the inhabitants o’ the earth,
And yet are on’t? Live you? or are you aught
That man may question? You seem to understand me,
By each at once her chappy finger laying
Upon her skinny lips: you should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.
Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair? I’ the name of truth,
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 favours nor your hate.
Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!
Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more:
By Sinel’s death I know I am thane of Glamis;
But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives,
A prosperous gentleman; and to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence? or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.Witches vanish
The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,
And these are of them. Whither are they vanish’d?
Into the air; and what seem’d corporal melted
As breath into the wind. Would they had stay’d!
Were such things here as we do speak about?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?
This is excellent criticism, very illuminating regarding the relative moral characters of Banquo and Macbeth, and Macbeth’s possibly inherently corruptible (unnatural) nature!