John Banks (playwright)
Encyclopedia
John Banks was an English playwright of the Restoration
era. His works concentrated on historical dramas, and his plays were twice suppressed because of their implications, or supposed implications, for the contemporaneous political situation.
Virtually nothing is known about Banks's early life; a date of birth c. 1650 has been estimated on the basis of his later biography. He studied law at the New Inn, one of the minor Inns of Chancery
attached to the Middle Temple
. Banks's first play was The Rival Kings of 1677
, written in imitation of Nathaniel Lee
's The Rival Queens of the same year. Banks followed this with The Destruction of Troy, which was staged by the Duke's Company
at their Dorset Garden Theatre
in November 1678
and printed the following year. His The Unhappy Favourite, or the Earl of Essex (1682
) was his first major success. (John Dryden
provided a Prologue and Epilogue.) Banks was considered a crude writer who could nonetheless, at his best, create powerful drama.
His next play, however, was judged more crude than powerful: The Innocent Usurper, based on the life of Lady Jane Grey
, was rejected by both the King's Company
and the Duke's Company. And his subsequent attempt, The Island Queens, or the Death of Mary Queen of Scotland (1684
), was banned on political grounds. (Banks published the play in 1686
. It would eventually be staged as The Albion Queens, twenty years after its creation — and would be a hit with its audience.)
Banks did not try the drama again until 1692
, when his Virtue Betrayed, or Anna Bullen was another success; it proved to be his most popular play, and was acted as late as 1766
. He tried to stage The Innocent Usurper again in 1693
, but on this second attempt the play was banned for political reasons. Yet he did get the play published in 1694
. His last drama was his Cyrus the Great (inspired by Le Grand Cyrus of Madeleine de Scudéry
). The acting companies resisted this work, because of its perceived low quality; but the play proved to be another success once staged, by the King's Company at their Lincoln's Inn Fields
theatre.
Banks composed in blank verse, which sets his plays apart from the standard heroic drama
of the Restoration theatre by Dryden and others, written in rhymed couplets.
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
era. His works concentrated on historical dramas, and his plays were twice suppressed because of their implications, or supposed implications, for the contemporaneous political situation.
Virtually nothing is known about Banks's early life; a date of birth c. 1650 has been estimated on the basis of his later biography. He studied law at the New Inn, one of the minor Inns of Chancery
Inns of Chancery
The Inns of Chancery or Hospida Cancellarie were a group of buildings and legal institutions in London initially attached to the Inns of Court and used as offices for the clerks of chancery, from which they drew their name...
attached to the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
. Banks's first play was The Rival Kings of 1677
1677 in literature
The year 1677 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* Roger Morrice begins his Entring Book.* Francis North's A Philosophical Essay of Music published....
, written in imitation of Nathaniel Lee
Nathaniel Lee
Nathaniel Lee was an English dramatist.He was the son of Dr Richard Lee, a Presbyterian clergyman who was rector of Hatfield and held many preferments under the Commonwealth...
's The Rival Queens of the same year. Banks followed this with The Destruction of Troy, which was staged by the Duke's Company
Duke's Company
The Duke's Company was one of the two theatre companies that were chartered by King Charles II at the start of the English Restoration era, when the London theatres re-opened after their eighteen-year closure during the English Civil War and the Interregnum.The Duke's Company had the patronage of...
at their Dorset Garden Theatre
Dorset Garden Theatre
The Dorset Garden Theatre in London, built in 1671, was in its early years also known as the Duke of York's Theatre, or the Duke's Theatre. In 1685, King Charles II died and his brother, the Duke of York, was crowned as James II. When the Duke became King, the theatre became the Queen's Theatre in...
in November 1678
1678 in literature
The year 1678 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*Thomas Otway, escaping from an unhappy love affair, obtains a commission in the army.*Printer Joseph Moxon becomes the first tradesman to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society....
and printed the following year. His The Unhappy Favourite, or the Earl of Essex (1682
1682 in literature
The year 1682 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* In London, the King's Company and the Duke's Company join to form the United Company.-New books:*John Bunyan - The Holy War...
) was his first major success. (John Dryden
John Dryden
John Dryden was an influential English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden.Walter Scott called him "Glorious John." He was made Poet...
provided a Prologue and Epilogue.) Banks was considered a crude writer who could nonetheless, at his best, create powerful drama.
His next play, however, was judged more crude than powerful: The Innocent Usurper, based on the life of Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey , also known as The Nine Days' Queen, was an English noblewoman who was de facto monarch of England from 10 July until 19 July 1553 and was subsequently executed...
, was rejected by both the King's Company
King's Company
The King's Company was one of two enterprises granted the rights to mount theatrical productions in London at the start of the English Restoration. It existed from 1660 to 1682.-History:...
and the Duke's Company. And his subsequent attempt, The Island Queens, or the Death of Mary Queen of Scotland (1684
1684 in literature
The year 1684 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* John Banks' historical play The Island Queens, or the Death of Mary Queen of Scotland is banned from the stage; it is produced as The Albion Queens twenty years later ....
), was banned on political grounds. (Banks published the play in 1686
1686 in literature
The year 1686 in literature involved some significant events.-New books:*John Bunyan - A Book for Boys and Girls, or, Country Rhymes for Children...
. It would eventually be staged as The Albion Queens, twenty years after its creation — and would be a hit with its audience.)
Banks did not try the drama again until 1692
1692 in literature
The year 1692 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*Nahum Tate becomes Poet Laureate.*Thomas Rymer is made Historiographer Royal, and mounts a major effort to preserve and publish historical documents....
, when his Virtue Betrayed, or Anna Bullen was another success; it proved to be his most popular play, and was acted as late as 1766
1766 in literature
See also: 1765 in literature, other events of 1766, 1767 in literature, list of years in literature.-New books:* Henry Brooke - The Fool of Quality*Genuine Memoirs of the Celebrated Miss Maria Brown...
. He tried to stage The Innocent Usurper again in 1693
1693 in literature
The year 1693 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* July 29 - Anthony Wood is condemned in the vice-chancellor's court for certain libels against Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon; he is fined, banished from the university until he recants, and the offending pages are burned.*...
, but on this second attempt the play was banned for political reasons. Yet he did get the play published in 1694
1694 in literature
The year 1694 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*Jonathan Swift is ordained a clergyman.*The death of Queen Mary II of England prompts numerous elegies.-New books:* Edmund Arwaker - An Epistle to Monsieur Boileau...
. His last drama was his Cyrus the Great (inspired by Le Grand Cyrus of Madeleine de Scudéry
Madeleine de Scudéry
Madeleine de Scudéry , often known simply as Mademoiselle de Scudéry, was a French writer. She was the younger sister of author Georges de Scudéry.-Biography:...
). The acting companies resisted this work, because of its perceived low quality; but the play proved to be another success once staged, by the King's Company at their Lincoln's Inn Fields
Lincoln's Inn Fields
Lincoln's Inn Fields is the largest public square in London, UK. It was laid out in the 1630s under the initiative of the speculative builder and contractor William Newton, "the first in a long series of entrepreneurs who took a hand in developing London", as Sir Nikolaus Pevsner observes...
theatre.
Banks composed in blank verse, which sets his plays apart from the standard heroic drama
Heroic drama
Heroic drama is a type of play popular during the Restoration era in England, distinguished by both its verse structure and its subject matter. The sub-genre of heroic drama evolved through several works of the middle to later 1660s; John Dryden's The Indian Emperour and Roger Boyle's The Black...
of the Restoration theatre by Dryden and others, written in rhymed couplets.