Fate is an inevitable outcome – rarely disastrous; regardless of the desire to direct him on a different path, fate is unshakable. In Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, there is a constant question of whether Macbeth is a victim of fate or whether he chooses his own path. By instilling ambition and ruthlessness in his character, Macbeth, Shakespeare demonstrates that a person – in this case Macbeth – is doomed not by fate, but by the flaws of his character. In Macbeth, Macbeth's tragedy is sealed by his ruthlessness which is the result of envy and anger. Having succeeded to the kingdom, Macbeth does not find contentment with it. He wishes to have a future like Banquo who will be “father of a line of kings. /” (III. i. 65), but is cursed with a “fruitless crown” (III. i. 66). Being the ruthless man he was, Macbeth decides that if you cannot have children to take his throne, then Banquo will curse with the same disgrace, so he has both Banquo and his son, Fleance, killed by the assassins. Although killing Banquo is unforgivable, Macbeth's ruthlessness was most evident when he sends assassins to kill Fleance. Macbeth's ignorance that Fleance is a defenseless child who cannot defend himself makes him more ruthless. Banquo could have defended himself from the attack of the assassins, being a great and experienced soldier. Trying to have Fleance killed is unfair because he had no way to defend himself. Luckily for Fleance, he managed to escape death. Macbeth's ruthlessness is also demonstrated when he chooses to kill the people who were present in Macduff's castle, after hearing from Lennox that “Macduff has fled to England. /” (IV. i. 161). Macbeth had good reasons to kill Macduff who was planning to attack Macbeth's castle with the English army, but the killings of Macduff's family were senseless and the result of anger: “Macduff's castle I will surprise, /