macbeth

• Fate


  The idea that our life's journey is already mapped out ahead of us
• Fate


  • Some people believe there is a certain path that has already been set out for us, and nothing we do in life can change this
  • Others think the choices we make shape our life
• Macbeth and fate


  Macbeth believes the Witches' prophecies about him becoming king, but tries to cheat fate
• Macbeth trying to cheat fate


  He kills Banquo to prevent Banquo's children from becoming kings, as the Witches predicted
• Consequence of Macbeth trying to cheat fate


  Hecate sets out to cruelly destroy Macbeth for his arrogance in trying to cheat fate
• How Hecate uses fate to trick Macbeth

  The Witches' riddles make Macbeth believe he is invincible, when in fact they are referring to Macduff, who was born to destroy Macbeth
• Appearance and reality


  The difference between how things appear and what's really going on
• Macbeth and appearance vs reality


  • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth must pretend to be loyal subjects to get away with murder
  • Macbeth sees visions and ghosts that may or may not be real
• Dagger vision and Macbeth's mental state


  Macbeth sees a floating dagger before killing Duncan, unsure if it's real or just his imagination
• Banquo's ghost at the banquet


  Macbeth is terrified by Banquo's ghost, but others just see him shouting at a stool
• Witches' use of appearance and reality

  The Witches trick Macbeth by making him believe Birnam Wood moving to Dunsinane is impossible, when in reality it's the English army using camouflage
• Ambition


  The desire to succeed in life, to achieve fame, a better job, or power
• Macbeth's ambition


  Encouraged by Lady Macbeth, Macbeth kills the king to fulfil his ambitions, and continues killing to maintain his power, which ultimately destroys him
• Macbeth is a tragic hero, with ambition as his fatal flaw