Thursday, February 21, 2013

Act 3 Scene 1: Macbeth

     In this scene, Banquo stands on stage alone. He speaks to the audience, as if they were Macbeth. He says, "Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, as the Wëird Women promised, and I fear thou played 'st most foully for 't." By this, Banquo means to say that Macbeth is now getting all that the witches promised him, and he suspects that Macbeth had something to do with the killing of the king to get what he wanted, or what the witches told him would happen. Next, Banquo says, "Yet it was said, it should not stand in thy posterity, but that myself should be the root and father of many kings. If there come truth from them- As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine- Why, by the verities on thee made good, May they not be my oracles as well, and set me up in hope? But hush, no more." Here, Banquo is saying that the witches had also said that Banquo's sons would be kings and if the prophecy came true for Macbeth, it should come true for Banquo too.
Just before Macbeth walks in, Banquo says, "But hush, no more." It was decided earlier on by Macbeth, around line 37 in Act 2, Scene 1, that Macbeth would have to kill Banquo. Banquo reaffirms his loyalty to the king by saying, " In seeking to augment it, but still keep my bosom franchised and allegiance clear. I shall be counseled." Because Banquo said that he would be loyal to King Duncan, and because he was with Macbeth when the witches told Macbeth that he would become king, Banquo couldn't be around to find out the truth about the murder of King Duncan. Here, in Banquo's speech, Macbeth's prediction about Banquo discovering it was him who killed the king, came true (even though Macbeth doesn't know that Banquo knows about the killing.) This foreshadows that Macbeth must kill Banquo.

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