BANQUO The earth hath bubbles as the water has,
And these are of them. Whither are they vanished?
MACBETH Into the air; and what seemed corporal melted
As breath into the wind. Would they had stayed!
BANQUO Were such things here as we do speak about,
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?
MACBETH Your children shall be kings.
BANQUO You shall be king.
MACBETH And Thane of Cawdor too. Went it not so?
BANQUO To th’ self-same tune and words. Who’s here? (1.3.74-83)
It’s such a strange image, the earth having bubbles as the water has; one has to imagine bubbles moving swiftly through water, distinct and visible and then—not. Vanished into air, like the air they are. Something seemingly bounded, even solid that simply dissolves. Whither are they vanished? Into the air. Into thin air; what seemed corporal, fleshly, solid, melted as breath into the wind. A fleeting moment of visibility, a fog of words whispering away as soon as heard. If only they’d stayed! So much more to ask, to clarify. Banquo can’t quite believe it: were such things here as we do speak about, or are we, you know, seeing things? Are we drunk, or drugged; have we eaten on the insane root—hemlock?—that takes the reason prisoner, sends people mad? It’s the prophecies that Macbeth’s dwelling on, though: your children shall be kings. Lots of different ways of playing that: incredulity? a note of challenge? what do you think are the implications of that? Perhaps easier for Banquo to play his line as if he’s laughing it off: you shall be king. Amazing! It’s all incredible, unbelievable. Macbeth’s not cheerfully incredulous, though. Yes, king (implicitly), and Thane of Cawdor too. Went it not so? He’s really dwelling on it—going over and over the words of the witches, wanting to remember it accurately. But Banquo’s still, perhaps, almost laughing it off—yes, that’s what they said! you’re right, that’s how it went, to the self-same tune and words, exactly that. Amazing. But who’s here?
