In Act 1 Scene 3, how are the characters of Macbeth and Banquo different?Only up to Act 1 Scene 3 please.

Banquo is the first to notice the witches, questioning
them and making observations about what the witches look like.  Macbeth adds a one-line
question: “Speak, if you can: what are you?”  Already, Banquo seems more able or likely
to question and challenge the strange beings, while Macbeth seems almost
speechless.

After the witches hail Macbeth as thane of Glamis, thane
of Cawdor, and “king herafter,” Macbeth stands startled and silent. We know about
Macbeth’s amazement because Banquo says:

readability="6">

Good sir, why do you start; and seem to
fear
Things that do sound so
fair?

Banquo goes
on to boldly ask the witches what they have to say about his
future:

readability="6">

Speak then to me, who neither beg nor
fear
Your favours nor your
hate.

The witches
reveal to Banquo that his descendants will be kings although he himself will not. Then
the witches vanish as Macbeth finally speaks and tries to ask them more detail about
what they mean with their prophecies about him. Macbeth wishes they had stayed to
explain.

Banquo and Macbeth may be almost laughing the incident off
except that Ross and Angus enter to deliver the news that King Duncan has awarded the
Thane of Cawdor’s title to Macbeth as a reward for his courageous support of the King in
the rebellion.

Banquo warns Macbeth that the witches--”the
instruments of darkness"--could be winning them with attractive truths while in reality,
the witches intend to betray them:

readability="10">

But ‘tis strange:
And oftentimes, to
win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win
us with honest trifles, to betray’s
In deepest
consequence.

The first
prophecy has come true. Because the witches hailed Macbeth first as Thane of Glamis, the
title he already possesses, Macbeth says to himself; that “two truths are told.”  If the
first two are true, perhaps the prophecy about becoming king will be true,
too.

Again, Macbeth seems more impressed by the witches and their
prophecies than Banquo does. Does Macbeth have more ambition than Banquo? Has he already
thought about becoming king? Macbeth thinks to himself that his hair seems to stand on
end and his heart is pounding--he is already considering murdering
Duncan:

readability="6">

My thought, whose murder yet is but
fantastical...

In the
meantime, Banquo stands with Ross and Angus; all three notice that Macbeth is lost in
thought.  Banquo is not a fascinated about the prophecies as Macbeth. Banquo even calls
Macbeth back to reality:

readability="6">

Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your
leisure.

Macbeth comes to
himself and gives the other men a lame excuse about why he was so
distracted:

readability="5">

Give me your favour: my dull brain was
wrought
With things
forgotten.

Thus in this scene
we see that Banquo seems more practical and cautious in considering the witches and
their prophecies. Macbeth seems initially more startled and even speechless when he
first sees and hears the witches. When he see that the witches have spoken some truth,
he becomes fixated on the idea of being king--and even briefly considers murder to get
kingship. Banquo is not so impressed with what the witches have said and even warns
Macbeth to be careful.