Macbeth Essay: Banquo's Jealousy

The character of Macbeth in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a Shakespearean tragic play, reveals his negative state of mind, in the soliloquy from Act 3, Scene 1, as an immorally conscious person that is inexpressive and unsympathetic to his best friend Banquo who will soon be murdered as the play progresses. What Macbeth fear is Banquo, his best friend, because Macbeth knows that Banquo sides with justice and when he ever discovers that Macbeth has taken the life of Duncan, he will not tolerate his actions and will report Macbeth’s crime to the thanes and his allies which triggers Macbeth to comment Banquo, “Our fears in Banquo stick deep, /And in his royalty of nature reigns that/Which would be feared” (53-55). Banquo acts more of a king than Macbeth himself because Banquo is loyal to Scotland with his good conscious, and

it would trouble Macbeth greatly if Banquo turns his back on him for justice. In fact, Macbeth can never return to his old self and ways because he sold his soul to the devil.

Likewise, Macbeth’s jealousy increases his determination to murder Banquo without any sympathy after he finishes him off with his son, Fleance. As seen, Macbeth respects Banquo’s good virtues and his righteousness and compares it to his own lack of good qualities with the statement directed to Banquo, “He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valor/To act in safety” (57-58). Macbeth expresses that Banquo is a perceptive and sharp person that understands him and can see right through Macbeth’s lie, but he can also be a threat to him because if Banquo’s prophecy were to come true, he must kill Macbeth to acquire the throne for his children. Additionally, it also means Macbeth senses that murdering Duncan is only benefiting Banquo’s future; his actions for obtaining the crown ends up being pointless and it shows us that Macbeth portrays both hopelessness and disappointment. Furthermore, the insecurity and uneasiness that Macbeth is feeling leads him to make a deliberate attempt to take the life of his best friend before his best friend could assassinate

him. With this in mind, Macbeth is aware that Banquo’s children will be inheriting his throne after he dies because he does not have an heir, with a metaphor, Macbeth states upon himself, “Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown/And put a barren scepter in my gripe” (65-66). Macbeth, who frightens for his life, realizes his kingship will end after he is replaced by Banquo’s children. Truly, Macbeth does not want to accept his fate that is laid out for him, and so out of desperation, his ambition to murder Banquo rises to secure and stabilize his position as king. He wants to eliminate Banquo out of frustration, with his tortured soul as a result from putting Duncan to death. After the prophecy of becoming king of Scotland is accurate, Macbeth understands clearly that Banquo’s future, foresaw by the Weird Sisters, will also come true, he says to himself metaphorically, “Then prophet-like/They hailed him father to a line of kings” (63-64). Macbeth reflects on the witches’ prophecy for Banquo and conveys that if Banquo and his children desires to gain his throne, they must kill Macbeth. Also, he is worried that Banquo’s children will be kings and his worriness causes him to hire the two murderers to assassinate Banquo and Fleance. With Banquo's superior mind and intellect, he might turn the tables on Macbeth and beats his own game of murder. In addition, Macbeth’s determination to finish off Banquo is to change fate and challenge it. Thus, he is not ashamed to eliminate his own best friend or guilty of doing it; he is doing it for himself with rage and bitterness. With the fear of Banquo being suspicious that Macbeth has ended the life of the king, Macbeth compares the allusion of Mark Antony and Caesar to Banquo and himself when he speaks “My genius is rebuked, as it said/Mark Antony’s was by Caesar” (60-61). In the play, Julius Caesar, Julius Caesar, who is a powerful character, defeated Mark Antony in several civil wars. For example, this means that Macbeth is afraid of Banquo, who is going to become his enemy, because if the same events happens to him with the comparison of him with Mark Antony then his position as kingship will be taken away by Banquo; he will receive all of Macbeth’s fortune. The fear of Banquo being his rival enrages him to summon and order the murderers to end the life of Banquo and his eldest son, Fleance; there is no hint of compassion or remorse after the deed because he is conscious of his evil choices. In conclusion, Macbeth is turning into an immorally degenerate person as the play progresses that shows his anger and frustration against Banquo which leads him to create a decision to murder him.