Compare and contrast Macbeth, Macduff, and Banquo. How are they alike? How are they 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 are somewhat alike and somewhat different from each other, but they all play 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 role. Once Macbeth became king, he let his power control himself and mistreated everyone but his wife. When Macbeth found out that Banquo thought that the witches had told them some things, Macbeth started to have visions of the daggers floating in the air before him with the tip of the blade 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 to haunt him, it started to make him suspicious and show that he was the one that killed him.
Macduff is loyal to the king and a 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 disloyalty or greed within himself. He became a nobleman, but he did 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 a result of that, his household was 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 man. He is another father that cherished his children, but he is much like a gre...
