He knows the possible motives for why Macbeth would kill the good King Duncan. Banquo has more of an insight than the other thanes. There are people of the nobility who are suspicious and fearing Macbeth may not be the man he seems to be. Therefore, he sees that he killed a man he cared about for a crown that will ultimately be fruitless.Īppearance hiding reality is something we see in this act. Macbeth doesn’t have any children he can pass his crown to. Macbeth sees that by killing Duncan and taking the crown he’s just stepped the prophecy even closer to Banquo’s offspring receiving the crown. Macbeth knows that if he lets Banquo know about the horrid deed, Banquo will do only what he knows is right.

When Macbeth states ‘Our fears in Banquo stick deep.’ That could be because Banquo has a certain nobility, and morale that Macbeth himself lacks. The prophecy has come true so far so it’s possible Banquo’s end will come true too. Macbeth is aware of the threat Banquo poses on his life, and title. Saying the crown came to Macbeth’s grasp through shameful ways. Banquo states this in the line, “Thou played’st” p 84 most foully for ‘t. Therefore he has reason to believe Macbeth may have committed a horrid deed in order to gain the crown. He is the only other person who witnessed the prophecy. Some men arrive whom Macbeth sends off to murder Banquo.īanquo’s suspicion rises when he monologues. He goes riding with his son, Fleance and Macbeth thinks about his fear of Banquo. Banquo thinks about the prophecy when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth enter to invite him to the banquet that night.

Theme of macbeth