Final answer:
The witches in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' prophesy that Macbeth will become the thane of Cawdor and eventually king, which sets off a series of tragic events fueled by ambition and desire for power. Banquo is told his descendants will be kings, adding layers of tension and driving the plot forward. The themes of fate, ambition, and prophecy are central to the narrative.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Witches prophesy that Macbeth will become the thane of Cawdor and eventually king. This pivotal moment is the inciting incident that sets in motion the tragic events of Shakespeare's play, Macbeth. Initially, Macbeth is merely the thane of Glamis, but after the witch's prophecy and the subsequent events where King Duncan orders the execution of the current thane of Cawdor for treason and bestows that title upon Macbeth, the prophecy begins to unfold.
Although skeptical at first, Macbeth contemplates the possibility of the second prophecy coming true, which suggests that he would become king. Pushed by his own ambition and the manipulative urgings of his wife, Macbeth's actions to fulfill the prophecy lead him down a dark path of murder, guilt, and tyranny. The themes of fate versus free will, the corrupting power of unchecked ambition, and the effects of prophecy are woven throughout the play, as Macbeth grapples with his destiny and the consequences of his actions. Banquo, who is with Macbeth when they encounter the witches, is told that he will not be king but that his descendants will be. This part of the prophecy creates tension between Macbeth and Banquo, fueling Macbeth's paranoia and leading to further heinous acts. The initial reactions of Macbeth and Banquo to the mystic predictions and how they internalize them is indicative of their respective characters and ultimately shapes their fates.