What’s he / That was not born of woman? Such a one / Am I to fear, or none.
Act V, Scene 7 · Macbeth
Context
Alone on the battlefield, Macbeth reassures himself by repeating the witches' prophecy that no man born of woman can harm him, moments before Young Siward enters to challenge him.
Analysis
Macbeth phrases his confidence as a rhetorical question—'What's he / That was not born of woman?'—a structure that invites the answer 'no one,' yet by making it a question rather than a statement, Shakespeare plants a seed of doubt. The audience, aware that riddles in tragedy rarely mean what they seem, hears Macbeth convincing himself rather than stating fact. His need to voice the prophecy aloud at all betrays anxiety he won't admit to feeling.
Essay Tip
Support a thesis that Macbeth's reliance on the prophecy reveals his inner collapse—he no longer trusts his own strength as a warrior and must repeat the witches' words like a spell to keep fighting, showing how supernatural assurance has replaced the courage he once had naturally.