Does fate determine the outcome of our lives, or do we construct our own destiny through our actions? William Shakespeare never directly answers this question in his play Macbeth, but the theme of "fate versus free will" permeates almost every aspect and situation encountered during Macbeth's quest for the throne. The theme of "fate versus free will" is evident in three scenes: the captain's speech regarding Macbeth's victory over MacDonwal, the dagger monologue, and Banquo's reflection on fate. In the second scene of the first act, the captain speaks to King Duncan about Macbeth's victory over MacDonwal's troops (I.ii.8). The captain describes the events that happened just before this speech where Macbeth overcame all the obstacles that stood against him, Macbeth disdains fortune (I.ii.17) meaning he despises fortune with disgust and contempt, which is important because it provides insight into Macbeth's attitude towards fate in general. Personification is evident in this passage, as fortune is given to a person's qualities and actions, such as smiling like a whore, which is important because it shows how fate was completely on the enemy's side ( I.ii. 15). William Shakespeare chose to use this form of figurative language because it shows Fortune making an active choice to be on the opposite side of Macbeth, which only makes Macbeth's victory (I.ii.18) more triumphant, which is an appropriate use of symbolism. The captain's speech evokes a sense of pride and admiration for Macbeth by describing him as the valiant hero of the play. Instead, Macbeth becomes the corrupt protagonist after receiving the witches' prophecies (I.iii.49-70). This relates to the theme of "fate versus free will" because it demonstrates that even when fate is completely against Macbeth, he still gets what he wants through the actions of his free will, making it even more obvious that the events of Macbeth are a result of Macbeth's conscious quest for power, and not only