So Foul and Fair a Day

In Act III, Macbeth comes again upon the three witches.

The third apparition by the witches was a child crowned, with a tree in his hand, stating, “Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until Great Brinam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him. ” This gives great boost to Macbeth’s pride, “Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?” This self-confidence leads Macbeth into fearless battle against Malcolm’s followers in Act V. Macduff then proceeds to cut of Macbeth’s head. Macbeth slays young Siward and states, “though wast born of woman. But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, Brandish’d by man that’s of woman born. Shakespeare uses this theme of appearance verses reality a great deal throughout the story of Macbeth. ” Macbeth dismisses this man as a liar, but soon remembers the warnings of the apparition and becomes terribly fearful.

Macbeth is full of several appearances that prove to be deceiving. Macbeth’s interpretation of this second apparition ultimately leads to his death; he understood it to prove his invulnerability, when it actually carried a much different meaning. As before, Macbeth interpreted this apparition to prove his invulnerability, when it in fact predicted his ruin. The witches warn Macbeth, “beware Macduff. ” Macduff stuns Macbeth with his reply that he was “untimely ripp’d” from his mother’s womb. Macbeth tells Macduff, “thou losest labour…I bear a charmed life, which must not yield to one of woman born.