It is said that Macbeth hates to show himself as a hypocrite, and that he does it badly. In Act I, he asks Angus, who has addressed him as Thane of Cawdor, "Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?" At this stage he is reluctant to accept any honour to which he is not entitled. This underlines the change that will come over him later when he murders Duncan for the Crown. In the same scene Banquo says, "New honours come upon him Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould But with the aid of use." Perhaps he is complimenting Macbeth in suggesting that new honours make Macbeth feel awkward. It is a irony that the Crown never really 'fits' him. In Act I, Macbeth says ".and I have bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest gloss Not cast aside so soon." Here he is proud of his new clothes and happy to wear what he has really earned. He does not wish to replace them with clothes stolen from Duncan. But Lady Macbeth replies, implying that he has already worn them in hope, "Was the hope drunk Wherein you dress'd yourself?" The point she is making is that the drunken hope is a poor and ill-fitting garment. .
The play also established a question whether it was fate or free will that lead to Macbeth's action and downfall. In the very beginning of the play, three witches make predictions about Macbeth's future. "All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!" "All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!" "All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter." (Act One) The first prediction could not have been a prediction of fate because it had already come true before Macbeth saw the witches. Therefore, it was a known fact. The second prediction should not be called a prediction because in the scene directly before it, King Duncan already stated that this reward would be given to Macbeth. However, the third prediction had never been heard of before at this point in the play.
