Macbeth Fate and Free Will Quotes Page 4

When Macbeth visits the weird sisters for more details about his future, Shakespeare's witches whip up a magic brew and conjure three apparitions that correctly predict what is to come. What's interesting about Act IV, Scene i, is that the apparitions offer predictions in the form of riddles that trick Macbeth into thinking he will be safe. Here, for example, the Third Apparition says that Macbeth will be safe so long as Birnam Wood never moves to Dunsinane. Macbeth's pretty certain that a grove of trees can't possible uproot themselves so he's confident at this point. Yet, we know that, in the end, Malcolm orders his armed troops to cut branches from the trees at Birnam Wood to use as camouflage as they advance toward the castle. So, what are we to make of this? The witches seem to know exactly what will happen to Macbeth. So, why do they go out of their way to trick him into believing something (that he's safe) that will undoubtedly influence the decisions he will make about how to prepare for battle. Are Macbeth's decisions and actions the things that determine his outcome? Or, is it something else?