☆ Fate vs Free Will:

The Witches Prophecy: Act 1, Scene 3

☆"All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter"

☆Macbeth believes he is invincible, reinforcing the idea that destiny protects him. Offers the perspective that Macbeth's future is already determined and takes his actions out of his hands. The prophecy makes him question whether he should murder Duncan or not, planting the idea of a fated future in his mind.

Lady Macbeth's influence: Act 1 Scene 7

☆"When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man."

☆Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to act on the prophecy, which shows how another person's influence can steer another's decisions. Lady Macbeth pressures Macbeth into acting and takes the pressure away from him when deciding if he should break his moral code.

The Witches Visions (apparitions): Act 4, Scene 1

☆"Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn/ The power of man, for/ none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth."

☆The apparitions present Macbeth with a fated outcome, which takes his morality out of his hands and pushes him to commit violent acts in order to gain power. This makes the idea that Macbeth will become king seem inevitable and takes away the personal responsibility involved with murdering someone.