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Essay: Exploring Pity and Betrayal in Shakespeare’s Macbeth: A Tale of Friendship and Heartbreak

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  • Published: 23 March 2023*
  • Last Modified: 22 July 2024
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  • Words: 1,342 (approx)
  • Number of pages: 6 (approx)
  • Tags: Macbeth essays

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Macbeth is a deeply political play that was written in 1606 by William Shakespeare for King James I of England (or VI of Scotland) – the first monarch to unify England and Scotland. This was symbolized as Malcolm used English soldiers to fight against Macbeth and the Scottish forces. The play was also written more as tragedy rather than realism therefore the ‘barbaric’ Scottish was playing on English stereotypes of the Scottish people. In Macbeth, Shakespeare is able to create a feeling a pity towards most characters, one being Banquo. Banquo is Macbeth’s main rival for power, so Macbeth had him murdered during the third Act of Macbeth. Banquo is also one of Macbeth’s true friends, who charms the audience with his stage presence and light-hearted humour.

One reason we feel pity for Banquo is the brotherly relationship and trust that Macbeth and him have at the beginning of the play that is severed by Macbeth’s desperation to be king, and Macbeth murdering Banquo. One example of this would be that Macbeth and Banquo are both introduced at the same time, having a conversation that is interrupted by the witches. This insinuates that Macbeth and Banquo are at the same level (in power) at the beginning of the play, before Banquo is betrayed. This accompanied by the trust that they share (‘Let us speak our hearts free to each other’(I.iii)) at this point in the play. The mutual trust after they spoke to the witches also evokes pity towards Banquo because the audience know that Macbeth does not trust Banquo and therefore kills him later in the play. Another way that a deep brotherly bond is formed is that, even though Banquo is a sceptic (of the witches), he listens to them for Macbeth and does not dismiss them. This juxtaposition of distrust of the witches versus trust of Macbeth causes the audience to feel pity, as with hindsight you see that he should not have trusted either of them. Another example of this form of pity is that before Macbeth gains any power, he is able to introduce himself as a ‘friend’ to Banquo (‘Who’s there’ ‘A friend’ (II.i)). This causes the audience to feel pity as they know that Banquo will be murdered by the greed-hungry Macbeth in a future scene. A final cause for pity through their brotherly relationship is the humour that they share – for example once they have finished speaking with the witches Banquo is able to tease Macbeth for his trance-like state (‘New honours come upon him like our strange garments, cleave not their old but with the aid of use’ (I.iii)). This humour or teasing shows the deep and personal bond that the two characters’ share, which makes the audience feel even more pity when Macbeth hires the murders to kill his closest ally and friend.

Another way we feel pity for Banquo is through his monologues or stage presence. One example is Banquo’s monologue where he explains his jealousy of Macbeth (‘Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, as the weird women promised, and I fear thou played’st most foully for it’ (III.i)). Shakespeare uses this monologue to show the audience how Banquo is really feeling without having to show the other characters. In earlier scenes we begin to hear how Banquo is feeling (II.i), but Shakespeare builds up this monologue to show the tension forming between Banquo and Macbeth. This monologue invokes pity because the audience is able to see into the inner workings of his mind, and how demoralizing it is for him to discover his closest friend will become king and how he will become nothing. It also evokes pity as Banquo is shown in the play as the strong leader that Scotland really needs, rather than the barbaric one that they got. Another example of pity is Banquo almost begging the witches to prophesise something about him (‘If you can look into the seeds of time and say which grains will grow and which will not, speak, then, to me…’ (I.iii)). This marginalisation creates a feeling of pity towards Banquo – turning him into and underdog, which makes him an easily supportable character. The ‘If’ in this quotation also highlights how sceptical Banquo is of the witches and how easily he brushes off the odd behaviours around him. A final way we feel pity for Banquo through stage presents is the scene where, once Banquo has been murdered by the men Macbeth hired, his ghost torments Macbeth in front of all the leading Lords. Macbeth’s guilt projects Banquo’s ghost to be sat in his own seat (‘The table’s full’ (III.iiii)). This regret that Macbeth is feeling cause the audience to feel pity for Banquo as he was killed before his time.

Another device that Shakespeare uses to make the audience feel pity for Banquo is his humility and his humour to highlight his ignorance at the beginning of the play. Banquo’s humour is a central character trait, and his joking or use of humour or sarcasm around Macbeth makes the audience feel pity because of the ignorance these jokes have. For example, Banquo’s joke about the witches (‘You should be women, and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so’ (I.iii)) highlights his ignorance for the news he is about to hear from them. Another example would be his joking about Macbeth went he is first hatching the plan to become king and kill anyone in his way (Act 1, scene 3). These jokes (‘Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure’ and ‘Look how our partners rapt’ (I.iii)) show that Banquo is unaware of his ‘friends’ plans, which evokes pity as the audience knows more that the character. Banquo is also able to overlook strange behaviour that Macbeth displays. This is also enables the audience to feel pity because it shows the naïve Banquo is and how unaware he is of Macbeth’s plan.

A cause of pity for Banquo would be his undignified death scene after the dramatic build up of his suspicion towards Macbeth. The anti-climax of his death is a cause of pity as the audience would feel as he didn’t end up with the death that his character deserved. The example would be the stage directions and speech are very plain for such an important event in the play. Another anti-climax in this scene is cynical speech from the Murderers before killing Banquo (‘’Tis he.’ ‘Stand to ‘t’ (III.iii)). This anti-climax also creates a sense of expectation for the audience, which creates all the more frustration when his death is so undignified. This is also one reason why the audience begins to not feel pity for Macbeth. Another example of an anti-climax in the play is how Macbeth reacts, or his lack of reaction, when he discovers that Banquo has been murdered (‘’Tis better thee without than he within. Is he dispatched?’ (III.iiii)). This lack of reaction shows the audience that it was a superficial bond between Macbeth and Banquo, causing the audience to feel pity for Banquo.

The pity we feel for Banquo is important as it is one of the main reason that the audience does not feel pity for Macbeth. The actions Macbeth takes during Act 3 (that lead to the death of Banquo) act as a barrier that blocks the audience from feeling like Macbeth is still as victim of his wife, and proves to the audience that Macbeth has now become a villain. However, I don’t agree with the statement as I do not believe this is a flaw, but what makes it such a well received play across the ages. A Shakespearean tragedy is meant to be ‘the story of a great person with one fatal flaw which leads to his downfall’, which is exactly what the play is. Therefore, I don’t think the play is flawed, but just different to the usual Shakespearean play.

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