Despite the fact that Macbeth personally hires the murderers and also convinces them that Banquo is their enemy, he still hires a third murderer to keep watch on the other two. This reveals Macbeth’s deepening insecurity and mistrust of those around him.
Thewitches foretold that Banquo ‘shalt get kings’butwill not beKing himself. Themurderers successfully kill Banquo, but Fleance’s escape will only serve to deepen Macbeth’s paranoia and add further anxieties to his already troubled mind.
Macbeth tried to defy Fate by ordering the murders of Banquo and Fleance. Fleance escapes under cover of darkness as the torch is extinguished; it appears that he is fated to live and Macbeth is powerless to change this.