In Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy, The Tragedie of Macbeth, Macbeth’s fate takes a dark turn after his encounter with the Weird Sisters, also known as the three witches.

These witches greet him and his companion Banquo with the prophecies that ignite his ambition and lead to his downfall.

The Weird Sisters predict that Macbeth will become the King of Scotland and that Banquo will never be a king, but his descendants will.

These prophecies set a series of events in motion that lead Macbeth to commit heinous acts to secure his power. Encouraged by his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth murders the presiding King Duncan to fulfill the witches’ prophecy of becoming king.

Macbeth also attempts to kill Banquo and his son to prevent his descendants from the attaining the throne. Banquo is murdered, however, his son escapes. This destabilizes Macbeth even further as any threat to his power can’t be allowed to exist.

Macbeth’s downfall is intricately tied to his reliance on the Weird Sister’s prophecies of his reign and he becomes a victim of hubris.

Macbeth’s attempts to control the outcome, serve as the catalyst for the end he wished to avoid.

He eventually meets his demise at the hands of Macduff, fulfilling the witches’ prophecy and sealing his tragic fate.