Tanicka Kimble
DiFulvio
3rd block
Compare and contrast Macbeth, Macduff, and Banquo. How are they alike? How are the
different? Is it possible to argue that Macbeth is the play’s villain and Macduff or Banquo
its hero, or is the matter more complicated than that?
In this play the characters Macbeth, Macduff, and
Banquo were somewhat alike and somewhat different from each
other, but they all played important roles. Some of the
characters played a villain role and some played a more
heroic role.
Macbeth’s prophecy was that he was to become king of
Scotland.
Macbeth is friends with Banquo and he has a high
status, rank, and respect for others. Macbeth and Banquo
met the three witches together and they told them both
about their futures. Before Macbeth killed the king he
thought “If chance will have me King, why chance may crown
me, without my stir.”(p.336) He takes a noble action on his
prophecy and doesn’t let fate take its roll. Once Macbeth
became king he let his power control himself, and treats
everyone unfair but his wife. When Macbeth found out that
Banquo thought that the witches had told some things,
Macbeth started to have visions of the daggers floating in
the air before him with the tip of the dagger aiming toward
Duncan. He thought he heard a voice cry “Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep” (p.352) Macbeth tried to grasp
the imaginary dagger and failed. After Banquo’s ghost came
Tanicka Kimble
DiFulvio
3rd block
to haunt him it started to make him suspicious and show
that he is the one that killed him.
Macduff is loyal to the king and the brave soldier. He
is a father who cherishes his children and he is happy with
his life. He was always a trustworthy person he never had
disloyal or greed within himself. He became a noble man but
he does not take any action on his prophecy. Macduff
started to take suspicion into the death of Duncan. He
became the main opposition to Macbeth and as the result of
that his household became slaughtered, and he lost his wife
and his son.
Banquo is loyal to the king and also is a brave
soldier and highly regarded as the king’s men. He is
another father that cherished his children, but he was much
as a greedy person. When he met with the three witches they
told him that he is “lesser than Macbeth, and greater,” and
“not so happy, yet much happier”, and then she told him
that his children will become kings. Banquo felt “That,
trusted home, might yet enkindle you unto the crown,
besides the Thane of Cawdor. But ‘tis strange! And
oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of
darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to
betray’s In deepest consequence.”(P.335) and it had him
thinking that what the witches said might not of been so
Tanicka Kimble
DiFulvio
3rd block
true. He and Macbeth were close friends. Macbeth became an
untrue friend to Banquo. By that he had his servants kill
Banquo because he was a threat to him and he thought that
he would tell people that he killed the king and after he
got him killed one of Banquo’s children escaped.
All of these characters in the play have similarities
because before the king was killed and they all had
responsibilities that they each had to handle. Macbeth,
Macduff, and Banquo were all friends until Macbeth had
power an authority over the kingdom.
The difference between each character revolves around
their own personal loyalty. Macbeth has the devotion to
become king and take power. Macduff had the loyalty of his
family and the king and so did Banquo.
The innocent characters into this play are Macduff and
Banquo. More of Macduff because he wasn’t a really type of
greedy person, nor did he want more of things his way. He
obeyed his king and nobles. Banquo is loyal to his king and
nobles but he was greedy at the same time so his greediness
could have had him playing a villain role but he didn’t let
it get into the way of some things.
Macbeth is the most villain character in this play. He
was at once an individual that was doing his job, now he is
the character that is taking over people’s lives and
Tanicka Kimble
DiFulvio
3rd block
started to kill innocent people. Right before Macbeth
started to begin to kill the harmless people and gain power
he was just as innocent as the citizens in his country.
Once he found out that he was gone to have power and he
told his wife she thought of him as to ambitious and kind
to be king.