Although he is dead before the end of the third act, Banquo is a very important character. He has (almost) the same initial experience as Macbeth, but the way he uses the information he receives is entirely different.
Banquo's character provides a clear point for comparison - his responses and actions juxtapose Macbeth's and often serve to emphasise just how bad things get.
It's often easy to forget Banquo when talking about the play as a whole, but this would be a mistake. Banquo's role is a key one.
Isn't it weird that Macbeth never does his own dirty work? He's always getting other people to do the deed for him. Funny, that.
Here, we see Banquo (or rather, we don't see - it is inferred) brutally murdered whilst out riding with his son, Fleance. He's jumped upon by three (three!) murderers, intent on ending his life... But they get it wrong, and Fleance escapes, unlocking the witches' final prediction of Banquo "[having] kings" - although we don't know that yet.
It's sad that Banquo seems to understand the reasons for his death - he shouts "treachery!" - which tells us that he is clearly aware of his friend's ultimate betrayal.
Whilst a small scene, this is an important one - it leads into the famous "dinner table" scene, which in turn begins Macbeth's final descent into madness.
Macbeth: An Analysis of Act 3, Scene 4This is an important scene! Banquo is dead and Macbeth assumes he has got away with it - but who is that, sitting at the dinner table? |