1. Paper Two: Shakespeare
Question E (i): “In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare presents Banquo as an interesting foil to Macbeth, but he is also a flawed hero.” To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above statement? In your response you should consider the roles played by both characters in the play. Support your answer with reference to the text.

2. Macbeth (I) General Guidelines
Students are free to agree, disagree or agree in part with the observation.
Both aspects of the question, “interesting foil to Macbeth” and “flawed hero” must be addressed.
Reward students who clearly present an opinion and prove it with detailed support from the text.
Reward a clear appreciation of the question asked.

3. Macbeth (I) Interesting foil to Macbeth
Banquo is an interesting foil to Macbeth in his reaction to the three witches. Returning from the battle, Macbeth and Banquo encounter the witches, who predict that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and then king, and that Banquo will never take the throne himself but will beget a line of kings. Banquo remains sceptical wondering aloud if evil can ever speak the truth. He warns Macbeth that evil will offer men a small truth only to catch them in a deadly trap. However, Macbeth is thrilled by the predictions and begins to think about becoming king. But Banquo recognises the evil witches’ prophecies and warns that “the instruments of darkness tell us truths …”
Banquo is Macbwth’s only ally and the only person who may pose a risk to Macbeth, because of this Macbeth turns on him and has him murdered. While Macbeth’s character may initially have some similarities to Banquo, the two are very different, making Banquo an interesting counterpoint to the title character.
In his soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 7 we hear Macbeth’s inner thoughts as he struggles with the evil inside him. Unlike Banquo, he ignores his conscience and goes on to commit murder even though he knows it is wrong. The idea of upsetting the natural order of humanity was very important in Elizabethan times.

4. Macbeth (I) Interesting foil to Macbeth
Banquo steadily resists the temptations of evil within the play, praying to heaven for help, while Macbeth sees darkness and prays that evil powers will aid him. This is seen in Act 2: after Banquo sees Duncan to bed, he say, “There’s husbandry in heaven, / Their candles are all out.” This premonition of the coming darkness in association with Macbeth’s murders is repeated just before Banquo is killed : “it will be rain tonight”, Banquo tells Fleance.
Banquo’s appearance as the ghost during the banquet scene represents Macbeth’s conscience returning to plague his thoughts. In this way, Banquo triumphs over death symbolically; he literally takes Macbeth’s seat at the feast.
In Act 2 Scene 1, Banquo says he will always be loyal to Macbeth as long as he’s not asked to do anything that goes against his heart and conscience. This places him in direct contrast with Macbeth. The witches made Banquo promises, to, but he did nothing in response to those promises, so he seems far more noble than his friend.
Etc.

5. Macbeth (I) Flawed hero
Banquo is far from perfect. Like Macbeth, Banquo gives the witches’ work consideration. At the start of Act 2, we see his own temptations. He feels oppressed and cannot sleep. He even prays to be released from temptation.
He is reluctant to expose Macbeth, which marks a moral decline in him (although not as sharp a decline as Macbeth’s). When Macbeth kills the king and takes the throne, Banquo – the only one who is aware of the encounter with the witches – reserves judgement for God. He is unsure whether Macbeth committed regicide to gain the throne, but muses in a soliloquy that “I fear / Thou play’dst most foully for ‘t”. Nonetheless, he offers his respects to the new King Macbeth and pledges loyalty.
Macbeth keeps his thoughts and ambitions from Banquo, but Banquo sees that Macbeth is taken with the idea of becoming king (“rapt withal”). Banquo does not want to do anything dishonourable but suspects Macbeth might do something bad in order to achieve his aim. Banquo conscientiously fights his evil thoughts (“Restrain in me”) demonstrating his awareness that something bad is imminent. Although this is unacceptable to him due to his strong sense of righteousness and his loyalty towards Duncan, he does nothing to prevent the tragedy.

6. Macbeth (I) Flawed hero
Like Macbeth, Banquo may have a touch of ambition. Right before he is brutally murdered, he has an imaginary conversation with Macbeth: “Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all / As the Weird Women promised, and I fear / … May they not be my oracles as well, / And set me up in hope? But hush! No more.” Here Banquo tries to stop his thoughts, but it’s too late: there is a part of him that wans to be the father of kings.
In Act 2 Scene 1 Banquo meets his son Fleance, asks him to take both his sword and dagger and explains that he has been having trouble sleeping due to “cursed thoughts that nature / Gives way to in repose!” On Macbeth’s approach, he demands that the sword be returned to him quickly. Some scholars have interpreted this to mean that Banquo has been dreaming of murdering the king. In this reading, his good nature is so revolted by these thoughts that he gives his sword and dagger to Fleance to prevent them from coming true, but he is so nervous at Macbeth’s approach that he demands them back.
Etc.

7. Paper Two: Shakespeare
Question E (ii): “Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, presents a world where evil and disorder are juxtaposed with the forces of goodness and order.” Discuss this statement, supporting your answer with reference to the text.

8. Macbeth (ii) General Guidelines
Students are free to agree, disagree or agree in part with the observation.
Both themes, “evil and disorder” and “goodness and order” must be addressed.
Reward students who clearly present an opinion and prove it with detailed support from the text.
Reward a clear appreciation of the question asked.

9. Macbeth (ii)
Use your handout on good versus evil essay plan to structure and plan your answer.

10. Paper Two: Comparative
General Vision and Viewpoint Q. 1 “The resolution or conclusion of a text often helps to determine our overall sense of the general vision and viewpoint of that text.” (a) Discuss the extent to which your sense of the general vision and viewpoint of one text on your comparative course is influenced by the resolution or conclusion of the text. Support your answer with reference to the text.

11. General Vision and Viewpoint (Q1a)
General Guidelines
Students are free to agree, disagree or agree in part with the statement.
Students must focus on the resolution or conclusion of one of the texts on the comparative course.
Students will be expected to understand and discuss the extent to which the resolution/conclusion of a text can shape a reader’s overall sense of the vision and viewpoint of that text.
Penalise re-telling of narratives with an O6 grade or less.

12. General Vision and Viewpoint (Q1a)
Aspects from which comparisons might be drawn
Our response to the ultimate fate / experiences of characters influence our perspective
Sometimes a conclusion can be unsatisfactory or an unfulfilling experience for the reader
Our response to how relationships conclude / end and / or whether they are destructive / nurturing shapes our outlook on a text
A change in setting at the conclusion of a plot can influence our perception
Etc.

13. Paper Two: Comparative
General Vision and Viewpoint Q. 1 “The resolution or conclusion of a text often helps to determine our overall sense of the general vision and viewpoint of that text.” (b) Compare the extent to which your sense of the general vision and viewpoint of two other texts on your comparative course is influenced by the resolution or conclusion of each of these texts.

14. General Vision and Viewpoint (Q1b)
General Guidelines
Expect students to focus their answers on the extent to which resolution / conclusion of a text can shape a reader’s overall sense of vision and viewpoint and to make clear comparisons.
Each of two other texts must be addressed (though not necessarily equally) for consideration of full marks.
Penalise students who discuss the texts separately instead of comparing their chosen texts point for point. Award and O6 grade or less.
Penalise re-telling of narratives with an O6 grade or less.

15. General Vision and Viewpoint (Q2)
General Guidelines
Students are free to agree, disagree or agree in part with the statement.
Students will be expected to compare the ways in which the success or failure of a character’s conflict with society and/or individuals can shape their understanding of the vision and viewpoint of a text.
Three texts must be addressed though not necessarily equally.
Penalise students who discuss the texts separately instead of comparing their chosen texts point for point. Award and O6 grade or less.
Penalise re-telling of narratives with an O6 grade or less.

16. General Vision and Viewpoint (Q2)
Aspects from which comparisons might be drawn
Conflicts with society can affect our understanding of the vision and viewpoint.
Character’s reaction to the success or failure of such conflict can affect our understanding of a text’s vision and viewpoint
Characters may change their motivation / beliefs / behaviour as a result, which shapes the reader’s understanding of the vision and viewpoint of a text
Success or failure of a character’s conflict with another individual can shape our understanding of the vision and viewpoint.
The conclusion/resolution of a conflict, or the lack of it, can shape the reader;s understanding of the vision and viewpoint of the text.
Etc.