Nadja Lynge JensenEnglish essay Frederiksberg HF, 2.

Macbeth and Banquo; friends or foes?

In the beginning of Shakespeares play Macbeth our main character seems to have
one good companion, who follows him throughout most of his journey. They are both
soldiers in King Duncans army, both noblemen, and both quite fond of each other.
Although their friendship seems to be going steady and straight, different events seem
to begin to draw them apart, and we begin to wonder, will they end up being put
against each other?
In the first act, while they both seem to be on equal terms, they share their first
encounter with the witches. The weird sisters predict that Macbeth will be Thane of
Cawdor and then king and Banquos sons will be kings.
Though at first they both seem to doubt the credibility of the witches predictions, and
Banquo even wonders if they perhaps have been poisoned and gone insane 1, they
soon show a slight sign of interest.
You can easily imagine them laughing and patting each other on the back with the
words, Your children shall be kings and You shall be king2.
Yet, as Rosse and Angus arrives to tell them that Macbeth really is to be Thane of
Cawdor, Macbeth, in particular, begins to draw into his own dark thoughts. He wonders
if faith will crown him king without his stir, or if he should give faith a little push.
Banquo notices how Macbeth is carried away by his own thoughts, but merely thinks
that he is confused by his new title.
He, still loyally, patiently waits for Macbeth to finish his thoughts and as he does they
continue towards the kings palace.
In the palace Macbeth and King Duncan praise each other all meanwhile Banquo
silently awaits.
So, all in all, Banquo and Macbeth start out as trusted friends, as they both share their
encounter with the witches.
Yet, as they learn that the witches seemed to know what they were talking about, by
Rosse and Angus, and Macbeth is drawn into his own dark thoughts, we can already
sense a distance between them. Macbeth does not let Banquo in on his worries and he
therefore know nothing.
He seems to blindly trust him, and therefore one starts to wonder if Macbeth is going
to use him for his own good. Perhaps they might even turn against each other in
Macbeths haunt for the crown.

1Or have we eaten on the insane root that takes the reason prisoner? Act one,
scene III, line 84-85
2 Act one, scene III, line 86-87