Macbeth Quote Analysis

Banquo observes Macbeth's startled, fearful reaction immediately after the witches prophesy that he will be king.

Banquo's question hinges on the jarring verb "fear" applied to things that "sound so fair," and the alliteration of "fear" and "fair" sonically links the two incompatible reactions. A normal person hearing good news wouldn't "start" (recoil physically)—Macbeth's body betrays a guilty mind. Banquo's public noticing of this reaction puts Macbeth's interior state on display for the audience, revealing that the prophecy has triggered something already lurking inside him rather than planting a new idea.

Use this to argue that Macbeth's ambition pre-exists the prophecy—his fearful reaction shows he's already imagined becoming king through violent means, and the witches simply voice a thought he's been suppressing, not conjuring it from nowhere.