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   mshurn Teacher
   College - Freshman

   When the traitor Macdonwald fought against King Duncan's forces, the outcome of the battle appeared first to favor Macdonwald, but that appearance was deceiving. Fortune did not favor him at all; he lost the battle and his life. Macbeth, although the odds were against him, fought on. By "disdaining fortune" and exerting his own will, Macbeth prevailed.

   This contrast between Macdonwald's and Macbeth's relationships to fortune foreshadows in an ironic way events to come. The witches' prophecies suggest good fortune for Macbeth; his future appears to be one of great power and prestige, but the appearance is deceiving, just as Macdonwald's good fortune was deceiving. Furthermore, in his quest for the crown and his efforts to maintain his position once he achieves it, Macbeth again exerts his own will and scorns any possibility that he will fail. However, he is betrayed by his belief in his own invincibility, another false appearance, courtesy of the weird sisters.  

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/macbeth/macbeth-character-analysis

   http://www.enotes.com/macbeth/summary

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   Posted by mshurn on Monday March 9, 2009 at 1:00 AM