Macbeth Group

Question:

ranagurtej
ranagurtej
Student
High School - 11th Grade

How does Duncan recompense Macbeth and Banquo?

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Posted by ranagurtej on Thursday August 20, 2009 at 11:06 AM and tagged with banquo, duncan, macbeth, macbeth act 1 scene 4, shakespeare.

Answers:


  1. robertwilliam

    eNotes Editor

    Here's the part of the play you should be looking at. Duncan has just been told that the treacherous Thane of Cawdor repented on his death bed, and he is commenting regretfully on Cawdor's treachery as Macbeth himself comes in.

    DUNCAN

    There's no art
    To find the mind's construction in the face:
    He was a gentleman on whom I built
    An absolute trust.

    Enter MACBETH, BANQUO, ROSS, and ANGUS

    O worthiest cousin!
    The sin of my ingratitude even now
    Was heavy on me: thou art so far before
    That swiftest wing of recompense is slow
    To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserved,
    That the proportion both of thanks and payment
    Might have been mine! only I have left to say,
    More is thy due than more than all can pay.

    It is some irony, isn't it, that Macbeth (who has already had "black and deep desires", presumably to kill the king) enters just as Duncan deplores the fact that you can't judge a book by its cover? Macbeth's face is already hiding a few treasonous secrets of its own!

    Duncan in this speech expresses his gratitude to Macbeth and Banquo - and Macbeth, of course, we know is to be made Thane of Cawdor as a reward for his battle deeds. Shakespeare never specifies precisely what recompense Banquo receives, though we are told in this scene that he "no less deserves". Clearly, though, the role of Thane of Cawdor, is going to remain a problem one for Duncan!

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/macbeth-text

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    Posted by robertwilliam on Thursday August 20, 2009 at 11:12 AM