Does fate determine the outcome of our lives or do we create our own destiny through our actions? William Shakespeare never answers this question outright in his play Macbeth, but the theme of "destiny versus free will" permeates nearly every aspect and situation encountered during Macbeth's quest for the throne. The theme of "destiny versus free will" is evident in three scenes: the captain's speech about Macbeth's victory over MacDonwal, the dagger monologue, and Banquo's reflection on fate. In the second scene of the first act, the captain is speaking to King Duncan about Macbeth's victory over MacDonwal's troops (I.ii.8). The captain describes the events that occurred directly before this speech in which Macbeth has overcome all the odds placed against him,Macbeth despises fortune (I.ii.17), meaning he looks down on fortune with disgust and contempt, which is important because it provides a glimpse into the attitude Macbeth has towards fate in general. Personification is evident in this passage, as luck is attributed to a person's qualities and accomplished actions, such as smiling like a prostitute, which is important because it shows how fate was so completely on the enemy's side (I.ii. 15). William Shakespeare chose to use this form of figurative language because it shows that Fortune makes an active choice to be on the opposite side of Macbeth, which only makes Macbeth's victory more triumphant (I.ii.18), which is a use adequate symbolism. The captain's speech evokes a sense of pride and admiration for Macbeth by portraying him as the valiant hero of the play. Macbeth instead becomes the corrupt protagonist after receiving the witches' prophecies (I.iii.49-70). This ties into the theme of "destiny versus free will" because it shows that even when fate is completely against Macbeth, he still gets what he wants through the actions of his free will, which makes it even more evident that the events in Macbeth are a not only the result of Macbeth's conscious search for power