A Complex Victim: Banquo as a Figure of Loyalty and Clarity Anonymous 10th Grade

Throughout Macbeth, the character of Banquo is continually presented as a contrasting foil to the character of Macbeth himself, as a noble and perceptive ally of the Scottish royal line. His presence in the play is felt in contrast to Macbeth’s own actions, allowing Banquo to define himself as a complex and developed character upon the time of his death, despite the fact that Banquo’s inner thoughts are left somewhat to interpretation. Shakespeare primarily focuses on highlighting the similarities and differences between Banquo and Macbeth in their actions and decisions throughout the play. To show Banquo’s questioning personality, Shakespeare uses a clear contrasting approach in how Banquo reacts to the supernatural earlier on in the play. Finally, Banquo is presented as a considerably noble and loyal figure to the king, in Shakespeare’s use of drawing parallels between Macbeth himself, and Banquo, reinforced by Banquo’s hyperbolised demonstrations of loyalty and allegiance towards the king.

The differences between the characters of Macbeth and Banquo presented by Shakespeare amplifies and clarifies the audience’s impressions of Banquo as a character. Macbeth bottles up his conflict within himself, persistently attempting to...