Key Quotations
Banquo
Points to be made i.e. Analysis of
Quotation about how a character Language and Devices Links to Context
or theme presented and Structure
To me you speak not….. Ambition / evil / overreaching Banquo challenges the witches Shakespeare is flattering King
Speak then to me, who using an imperative. We see his James I who was thought to be
character is juxtaposed against a distant relative of the King.
neither beg nor fear your the character of Macbeth. We But in Holinshed’s Chronicles,
favours nor your hate see his less susceptible to evil Banquo is presented as a traitor
than Macbeth. to the King. Shakespeare
Act 1 Scene deliberately presents Banquo as
a good character.
‘There if I grow, the Banquo’s reply highlights that Banquo stays with the same The Jacobeans believed in the
harvest is your own’. he is not going to force his theme and metaphor of nature natural order of things and
development of power and ill by showing he is united with felt people were punished if
Act 1 Scene 4 allow King Duncan to take Duncan. He stays on the same they overreached their position
responsibility for his future. topic and uses the same theme in society. Therefore, Banquo
to show he supports Duncan. will trust that Duncan has
the power to makes the right
decisions in his future.
‘But ‘tis strange. And The theme of equivocation is Banquo labels the witches Shakespeare is eager to present
oftentimes, to win us to explored here. Also, darkness using a metaphor ‘instruments Banquo as an innocent and
and light is explored. We see of darkness’ to highlight the good character to flatter King
our harm, the instruments Banquo is sceptical about the capacity for evil that they James I, who has an ancestor
of darkness tell us truths …’ witches and able to resist the possess. Shakespeare juxtaposes of the historical character of
darkness of the witches, unlike the noun phrase ‘honest trifles’ Banquo. Additionally, James
Act 1 Scene 3 Macbeth. against the verb ‘betray’ to I, and the Jacobeans, believed
expose the manipulative powers in witchcraft. James I was
of the witches. so threatened by witches
that he wrote a book about
Daemonologie.
‘I fear/ Thou played’st most Banquo is suspicious that The use of the superlative shows Regicide – crime against God.
foully for’t.’ Macbeth has killed King that Banquo is accurately aware
Duncan and he has done of Macbeth’s capacity for evil.
everything in his power to gain The repetiton of the ‘f ’ sound
Act 3 Scene 1
the crown. Evil / deception reinforces the nature of the
murder committed by Macbeth.
1
Banquo
Points to be made i.e. Analysis of
Quotation about how a character Language and Devices Links to Context
or theme presented and Structure
To me you speak not….. Ambition / evil / overreaching Banquo challenges the witches Shakespeare is flattering King
Speak then to me, who using an imperative. We see his James I who was thought to be
character is juxtaposed against a distant relative of the King.
neither beg nor fear your the character of Macbeth. We But in Holinshed’s Chronicles,
favours nor your hate see his less susceptible to evil Banquo is presented as a traitor
than Macbeth. to the King. Shakespeare
Act 1 Scene deliberately presents Banquo as
a good character.
‘There if I grow, the Banquo’s reply highlights that Banquo stays with the same The Jacobeans believed in the
harvest is your own’. he is not going to force his theme and metaphor of nature natural order of things and
development of power and ill by showing he is united with felt people were punished if
Act 1 Scene 4 allow King Duncan to take Duncan. He stays on the same they overreached their position
responsibility for his future. topic and uses the same theme in society. Therefore, Banquo
to show he supports Duncan. will trust that Duncan has
the power to makes the right
decisions in his future.
‘But ‘tis strange. And The theme of equivocation is Banquo labels the witches Shakespeare is eager to present
oftentimes, to win us to explored here. Also, darkness using a metaphor ‘instruments Banquo as an innocent and
and light is explored. We see of darkness’ to highlight the good character to flatter King
our harm, the instruments Banquo is sceptical about the capacity for evil that they James I, who has an ancestor
of darkness tell us truths …’ witches and able to resist the possess. Shakespeare juxtaposes of the historical character of
darkness of the witches, unlike the noun phrase ‘honest trifles’ Banquo. Additionally, James
Act 1 Scene 3 Macbeth. against the verb ‘betray’ to I, and the Jacobeans, believed
expose the manipulative powers in witchcraft. James I was
of the witches. so threatened by witches
that he wrote a book about
Daemonologie.
‘I fear/ Thou played’st most Banquo is suspicious that The use of the superlative shows Regicide – crime against God.
foully for’t.’ Macbeth has killed King that Banquo is accurately aware
Duncan and he has done of Macbeth’s capacity for evil.
everything in his power to gain The repetiton of the ‘f ’ sound
Act 3 Scene 1
the crown. Evil / deception reinforces the nature of the
murder committed by Macbeth.
1
