In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the clear contrast between the character traits of Macbeth and Banquo, Macbeth’s foil, stresses the extent of Macbeth’s darkness and lust for power. The three where the difference between the two is made most evident is their cautiousness, loyalty and ambition.
The first trait that emphasizes the dissimilarity between Macbeth and Banquo is their display of cautiousness. In the beginning of the tragedy of Macbeth, Macbeth and Banquo are confronted by three Witches. The Witches entice the two men with prophecies that promise greatness and power. This is the scene where the deviation between the two characters become the most apparent. When Macbeth is confronted with the Witch’s prophecies, he implores them to say more,“Stay, you imperfect speakers. Tell me more” (1,3,73). Macbeth doesn’t first question the truthfulness of the prophecies and instead holds them to be the truth. This would explain why Macbeth was so eager to have the Witches say more. Macbeth’s lack of caution in can be attributed to his lust for power which was so strong that it clouded his senses. In sharp contrast to Macbeth’s reaction to the prophecies, Banquo does not blindly accept the prophecies to be the truth. Even though Banquo was not completely uninterested in what the Witches had to say, “Speak then to me” (1,3,62) he refuses to let that interest blind him. Banquo leaves the interaction with the Witches with a cautiousness surrounding the truthfulness of the prophecies, “The instruments of darkness tell us truths; Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s In deepest consequence” (1 3,136-138). Although Banquo is interested in the power promised by the prophecies, he refuses to let that want blind him and prevent him from being cautious that the Witches might have given him false truths. By questioning the prophecies truthfulness, Banquo reveals that his want for power is not so great that it overtakes his sense of caution and judgement. By comparing the level of cautiousness of the two characters, it is underlines how Macbeth’s need for power took hold of him and made him act without using his senses.
Secondly, the loyalty Macbeth and Banquo exhibit is yet another character trait that distinguishes the difference between them. In Macbeth, both characters have the chance to gain power at the cost of committing treason. However they each make a very different decisions when left with the choice. When Macbeth is confronted with the decision to murder Duncan thus committing treason or to remain merely the Thane of Cawdor and Glamis, Macbeth chooses to kill Duncan, “I go, and it is done…That summons thee to heaven or to hell”. By making this life-altering decision, Macbeth exhibits that he is willing to betray his loyalty to his king if doing so will give him what he wants. By making this dark decision Macbeth shows that for him, his own personal desires trump his loyalty to those around him. Even when that person is a king who has praised Macbeth and given him the position of the Thane of Cawdor. Banquo on the other hand values his loyalty, especially to his king, higher than he does his own desires, “ Merciful powers, Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature Gives way to in repose” (2 ,1,10-11). Banquo refuses to succumb to his desires in order to prevent himself from committing treason. This is very telling about Banquo’s character. It shows that Banquo is a man who sticks to his morals and refuses to let a prophecy disrupt his connection with said morals. Banquo refuses to let his lust for power blind him and make him act against what he thinks is right. By implementing Banquo as Macbeth’s foil it is made all the more apparent just far much Macbeth is willing to go to gain power.
Finally the third character trait which differentiates the two men apart is their ambition. More specifically their ambition for power. Throughout Macbeth, the actions of Macbeth and Banquo are more or less driven by their ambition for power. For Macbeth, his ambition is so strong that he is willing to commit dark, immoral and horrible deeds to feed said ambition. This dark ambition is first blandly revealed to the audience when Macbeth says, “For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.”. By this Macbeth is addressing how he must conceal his terrible desires that dwell in his thoughts that are driven by his ambition for power. Additionally Macbeth is also realizing at this moment that his dark ambitious desires are not normal and therefore must be kept hidden. Furthermore, as the play progresses, Macbeth reflects on how his ambition for power has lead him to commit horrific acts, “I am in blood Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er.” (3.4.167-170). This realization of however his ambition for power has let Macbeth be consumed by the darkness is not enough to persuade him to stop following his dark ambitious desires. For he feels that it would be pointless to do so since Macbeth has already fallen so far into the darkness.
Although Banquo is not a man without ambition, he refuses to let his ambition guide him to commit terrible acts, “Merciful powers, Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature Gives way to in repose” (2,1,10-11). Like Macbeth, Banquo too has dark desires regarding his ambition for power lurking in his mind. However, Banquo refuses to act on those dark desires. This quote shows that for Banquo, getting more power is not worth having to commit dark deeds and having a theoretical trail of blood following him always. This reveals that Banquo’s character is not a man who is driven by his ambition.
In conclusion the contrast between the character traits of Macbeth and his literary foil, Banquo highlight just how dark and power hungry Macbeth truly was.