Macbeth is told by the witches that he will gain power, but he is fated to lose that power. In Macbeth, the witches represent fate, which is shown when they use their magical powers to manipulate the world in order to get what they desire. One witch tells the others that she kept a sailor from sleeping because his wife would not give her a chestnut. This shows that the witches are cruel and disturb the lives of those around them for their own purposes. When they first meet Macbeth, the witches tell him that he will become king: “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (I.iii.53). They also tell Banquo, “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none” (I.iii.70). This means that Banquo will not be a king, but his children will gain power. Because the witches say that Banquo’s children will gain power, Macbeth will have to lose his future power as king to Banquo’s children. Macbeth is destined to gain …show more content…
After he kills Duncan and becomes king, Macbeth becomes paranoid that Banquo and his son, Fleance, will defeat him: “There is none but [Banquo] / Whose being I do fear” (III.i.59-60). Macbeth does not only say he is afraid of Banquo; he says Banquo is the only person he is afraid of. Macbeth knows that Banquo’s children are destined to take over, so he is not afraid of anyone else. Macbeth’s fear of his fate drives him to hire murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance. He believes that if they are both dead, They succeed in killing Banquo, but Fleance escapes. Because Fleance escapes, the witches prophecy can still become true and Fleance can take Macbeth’s power, proving Macbeth’s attempt to evade his fate is unsuccessful. Macbeth unsuccessfully attempts to evade his fate by having Banquo and Fleance murdered, but fails because Fleance