Certain New Elucidations of Shakespeare 21 



This Factor is a member of the cast who appears early in the 

 action, and suppHes the means or forces necessary for winding 

 up the plot. Macduff furnishes this element in Macbeth. Shake- 

 speare does not permit the personage fulfilling this part to come 

 into competition with the title character. Neither does he bring 

 in such factor as an alien element, or. withhold him as a deus ex 

 machina unil the play must end. In other plays as in this one, 

 we care more than' a farthing's worth for his function. This 

 finalizing factor in Hamlet is Laertes. In Othello it is lago. 

 We find him in Aufidius as we analyze the play of Coriolanus, 

 we see him in Kent as we read King Lear. Bellarius supplies the 

 part in Cymbeline, and Paulina in The Winter s Tale. We find 

 the same feature in the greater comedies, as Puck in Midsummer 

 Night's Dream, Sebastian in Twelfth Night, and Duke Frederick 

 in As You Like It. In no one of the thirty-seven plays credited 

 to Shakespeare in this expedient of his more exploited or exalted 

 than in Macbeth.^^ 



It seems hardly worth while to quote the opinions of our 

 author on the character and role of Banquo. We may more 

 speedily finish with the topic by reviewing the evidence in the 

 text. We have called attention, a few paragraphs back, to the 

 fact that Banquo shows no surprise, on joining the company in 

 the great hall, after servants, at Macduff's order, have rung the 

 great bell of the castle. We might ponder a little at the quickness 

 with which he enters, just after Lady Macbeth, who has been 

 waiting for a cue. Malcolm and Donalbain, having taken time to 

 dress, have evidently been awaked from sleep. Was Banquo 

 awake already? Had he slept at all? We may infer from his 

 aside (II. 7-9), — 



Merciful powers, 



Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature 



Gives way to in repose, — 



that he was in fear, at retiring, lest he should mutter of ' cursed 

 thoughts ' and so compromise himself to some hearing ear. Has 

 he not then divined, from the constrained manner of Macbeth, 



13 It is interesting to compare Victor Hugo's parallel or perhaps imitated 

 expedient, in Hcrnani, of the horn. 



123 



