Essay Writing on Shakespeare: Banquo Serves as a Foil to Macbeth Essay

Macbeth was written by Shakespe are amid 1603 and 1606, during James Is reign. It is considered unrivalled of his darkest and most powerful tragedies. The baloney begins as one of a loyal and discoverable hero of Scotland. However, Macbeths char cultivateer changes gradu ally during the play. A powerful ambition for power causes him to exercise blurt outister decisions that bring him only despair, guilt and madness. One of these decisions is to kill his help Banquo because the witches that appeared at the beginning of the story said in their prophesy constant of gravitation shalt get kings, tough thou be none (I, iii, line 67).They think to say that even though Banquo forget not be a king himself, he will be the father of future kings. By taking this into account, I am going to analyse how Banquo serves as a foil to Macbeth in terms of honour. Foil, in literature, is a character that is compared or contrasted to a second character so as to highlight the characteristics of t he other. I consider honour in terms of loyalty, allegiance to moral principles and the tycoon of kno cajoleg and doing what is morally right. I am going to explore this theory by taking account of the beginning of the play up to Banquos death, in Act III, scene iii.Macbeth is the epitome of the Prince described by Maquiavelli who takes it for tending(p) that man is incapable of good action, since he is morally evil. Maquiavelli stated that all men are bad and ever ready to display their brute(a) nature, whenever they may find occasion for it (Spencer, 1961, p.117). The Renaissance is characterised by a introductory conflict between mans dignity and his misery.Each one of the interrelated orders that set up the frame of the Elizabethans carriage of thinking is being gradually destroyed mainly by trine philosophers of that time (Maquiavelli was one of them) who has questioned the cosmological, natural and political orders. Macbeth eagerly accepts the witches prophecy, that he will become king, as true, gives in to his evil side and does what he thinks is requisite to fulfil the prophesy, no matter the risks. That is why he decides to kill the king, Duncan, who represents a great danger to his ambitions.Banquo, however, represents the opposite to Macbeth because he questionsthe prophecies and the intentions of these evil creatures. He says And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with unprejudiced trifles, to betray s in deepest consequence. (I, iii, lines 123-125). He argues that evil only offers gifts that escape to destruction, that the witches win people with what is unimportant, though true, in order to betray them in most important things.Banquo hears the prophecy involving him but he does not start to influence his fate, simply chooses to allow life take its course and let his future develop by itself. The fact that Banquo does not react from avariciousness shows that he is entirely good, r esists the temptations of evil and remains loyal to his good determine and noble character.Just before Duncans murder, Macbeth meets Banquo and they agree to talk intimately the witches prophesy when they pee time. Banquos honourable treats increases Macbeths capacity of treason. So I lose none in put one acrossking to augment it, but still keep my bosom franchised, and allegiance clear, I shall be counselled (II, i, lines 25-29). This reference book suggests that, as long as he does not lose honour in trying to make it greater, always keeps his heart free from sin and his faithfulness to one man only, the king, he will listen to Macbeths advice. Banquos nobility of character highlights Macbeths evilness.After Macbeth became king, he realizes that, in fact, his friend is a danger to him because of his honourable character and also because the witches have seen he will be father of future kings. By reflexion our fears in Banquo stick deep, and in his royalty of nature reigns that which be feared i is much he dares and he hath wisdom that doth guide his valour to act in safety. (III, i, lines 48-52), Macbeth reveals that he fears everything that he does not have but Banquo rattling does his natural nobility, his bravery and his wisdom. Macbeth feels that his position in the throne will be safe if Banquo is dead, so he hires two murderers to kill his friend and his son, Fleance. They partially succeed, Banquo dies but his son manages to get away safely.As we can see through this analysis, Banquo serves as a foil to Macbethin terms of nobility. Banquo and Macbeth are opposite characters, one has honourable values that he maintains during the play and does not give in to personal desires, and the other is slowly being tempted by his evil side and will get what he wants by both way that is necessary. Macbeth is morally evil and cares nothing about honour and loyalty, he becomes power hungry after hearing the witches prophesies and does anything to fulfi l them, even putting to death his good king, Duncan, and his brave friend, Banquo.REFERENCES Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Third edition. England. Longman. 1965. Spencer, Theodore. Shakespeare and the Nature of Man. Second edition. New York. Macmillan. 1961.