When Macbeth was written and first performed in 1606, James I was on the throne of England. James had in fact become the patron of Shakespeare's acting company, and had bestowed upon the company the title of the `King's Men.' It is likely that Macbeth was not only written, but also first performed especially for King James. James, who traced his ancestry back to Banquo, was a Scot and had been James VI of Scotland before ascending to the English throne in 1603. Therefore, the Scottish setting of the play, and the references to the entitlement of Banquo's descendents to the throne of Scotland, would have hit the right note with James. The play's supernatural overtones catered to the King's fascination with the occult, as did the portrayal of witches. The equivocator, mentioned by the Porter in Act II, is a direct reference to a recent, but foiled, attempt...