Banquo

Banquo confronts the Doctor and Jamie. (PROSE: The True Tragedie of Macbeth)

Banquo was a character in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth.

The character was based upon information Shakespeare found in Holinshead's Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland. He found the tale of Macbeth a "perfect subject" for a piece to put before King James I partly for the opportunity to show James' own ancestor, Banquo, in a good light.

For the first staging of the play, performed in the presence of King James and Queen Anne, Banquo was played by Henry Condell. (PROSE: The Empire of Glass) Robert Dodds considered his role as Banquo to be his greatest accomplishment; most thought he was a poor actor. He named his manor Banquo Manor after the character. Two plaques bearing inscriptions from the play adorned the manor, one in the drawing room and a second in the study; however the second was removed some time before 1898. Robert was reciting his lines from the play when his cousin, Pamela, murdered him. (PROSE: The Banquo Legacy)

Fictional biography

Act I

In an early draft of the play, featuring the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe as characters, Banquo appeared in Act I Scene III with Macbeth. He and Macbeth found the trio hiding from them unsuccessfully in the mud on a rainy and foggy night. When Banquo spoke Macbeth's name, Jamie recalled that he had been the Thane of both Glamis and Cawdor "in the olden days" with Zoe adding that he also became the King of Scotland. Jamie also told Banquo he would "beget kings" though wouldn't be one himself. After listening, Macbeth expressed confusion regarding how they could prophecise this but just as he was about to explain, the Doctor clamped his hand over Jamie's mouth as all three started to vanish, returning to the Tardis, which had malfunctioned. (PROSE: The True Tragedie of Macbeth)

In the finished version of the play, the trio were replaced by three witches in the scene, who confronted them both and then disappeared. One of Banquo's lines was ""The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, and these are of them. Whither are they vanished?". (PROSE: The Empire of Glass)

Act II

Banquo was referenced in Act II Scene III of the earlier draft by Macduff. After discovering that the King had been murdered, he called for Banquo, as well as Donalbain and Malcolm, to awake.

He was later mentioned by the Doctor in Act II Scene V when he stated that, as Jamie had told Banquo he would "beget kings", he was now a threat to the newly-proclaimed King Macbeth.

Act III

In Act III Scene I, after confirming that they were "unscrupulous" and "villains prepar'd to kill for their king", Macbeth told the Doctor and Jamie to kill Banquo that night, with Macbeth proclaiming he was "mine foe".

Banquo himself reappeared for the first time in Act III Scene III, during which, while accompanied by his son Fleance, he confronted the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe. The Doctor openly admitted they had been sent to murder him but, contrary to Macbeth's wishes, he said they "wield[ed] no thought of harm". The Doctor told Fleance to flee to Wales while Banquo helped to prove he was really slain as Macbeth would not be satisfied without evidence. The Doctor then gave him a perception filter to make him "invisible" and be like "a ghost" at Macbeth's feast.

Macbeth's banquet was depicted in Act IV Scene IV and was attended by Lady Macbeth, Rosse, Lenox and the Doctor. Macbeth sought out the Doctor to ask him of Banquo's fate and he claimed that, along with his son, he was "safe" in a ditch. At the Doctor's signal, Banquo appeared with a "face white with chalk" and sat in Macbeth's seat. Macbeth reacted in horror at the sight but nobody else could see him, with the other guests urging him to take the "empty" space at the table. Banquo then adjusted the perception filter and disappeared, leaving Macbeth to take his spot and toast to his "dear friend whom [he] miss[ed]". Suddenly, Banquo reappeared, standing on the table, causing him to leap out of his seat in terror and spill his wine before quickly vanishing for a second time. After Macbeth quickly concluded proceedings due to his experience, the Doctor whispered to Banquo that he could now depart for Wales and join his son. Before leaving, he admitted the banquet had been fun.

Act IV

Banquo did not appear in Act IV and was instead only referenced. In Scene I, during another of Macbeth's encounters with the Weird Sisters, he asked them if Banquo's issue would ever rule the kingdom. Although Zoe (disguised as a witch) told him to "seek to know no more" after she had already provided him with several pieces of information, Macbeth claimed he would be satisfied if she answered and threatened that an eternal curse would be placed on her if she did not. She accepted and, with one of the Doctor's devices, a series of future Scottish kings appeared on the cave wall where they were meeting, thus confirming Macbeth's fear and the earlier prophecy.

Act V

Banquo later joined the English army headed by Malcolm and Macduff which was formed to overthrow Macbeth. Upon reaching Great Birnam Wood in Act V Scene IV, their forces encountered Zoe. Although Macduff initially told her to go home, saying it was no place for a girl, Banquo spoke up in her defence by telling the others she aided in both his and his son's escape. Zoe asked after Fleance with Banquo replying that he was safe in Wales, as well as confirming his own position of joining the army raised to remove the usurper from the throne.

With Zoe's advice to use the camouflage of the leaves and branches in the wood, Macbeth realised too late his men were outnumbered resulting in his defeat. When Jamie and the Doctor witnessed Macbeth leaving to defend his castle, the Doctor stated unequivocally he would "fight and lose". (PROSE: The True Tragedie of Macbeth)