Page "Macbeth" Paragraph 45

Shakespeare made another revealing change.

In Chronicles, Banquo is an accomplice in Macbeth's murder of King Duncan.

He also plays an important part in ensuring that Macbeth, not Malcolm, takes the throne in the coup that follows.

In Shakespeare's day, Banquo was thought to be a direct ancestor of the Stuart King James I ( Banquo's Stuart descent was disproven in the 19th century, when it was discovered that the Fitzalans actually descended from a Breton family ).

The Banquo portrayed in historical sources is significantly different from the Banquo created by Shakespeare.

Critics have proposed several reasons for this change.

First, to portray the king's ancestor as a murderer would have been risky.

Other authors of the time who wrote about Banquo, such as Jean de Schelandre in his Stuartide, also changed history by portraying Banquo as a noble man, not a murderer, probably for the same reasons.

Second, Shakespeare may have altered Banquo's character simply because there was no dramatic need for another accomplice to the murder ; there was, however, a need to give a dramatic contrast to Macbeth — a role which many scholars argue is filled by Banquo.