Fate can be defined as the belief that a higher power has control over your actions. It can also mean that events and occurrences are predetermined. The thought of events being predetermined, brings in the question of freewill. Freewill, the ability to choose decisions independently without any restraint, is something someone could doubt with fate. Throughout William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, fate and freewill go head to head with one another. The first example written in Macbeth is when the characters, the Wyrd Sisters, are introduced. The term “wyrd” actually means fate itself. So technically they are the “Fate Sisters”. They are known best for the three prophecies “casted” on the lead character, Macbeth. Prophecies are described as an events …show more content…
The Wyrd Sisters did, in fact, put in Macbeth’s head he would be king of Scotland. However, Macbeth seems not convinced when he responds, “If chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me, without my stir” (Shakespeare I.iii. 144-146). He speaks as though he is not going to take any action towards becoming and he will not interfere with the predictions. Even though the Wyrd Sisters predicted this to happen, and Macbeth says he will do nothing of his own actions to fulfill the prophesy, He does in fact, with his freewill and actions, choose to make it happen. The decision to kill King Duncan was completely Macbeth’s choosing and even his idea. The Wyrd Sisters did not tell Macbeth how he would be king, they said “All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!” and that is all(Shakespeare I.iii.50). So he thought of the idea himself. He might have imagined a “dagger” in his hands, which could be seen as the Wyrd Sisters interfering, however, it was not them and Macbeth takes action with his own freewill. Yes, the Wyrd Sisters predicted this to happen and planted the idea being king in his mind, however Macbeth choose the way it happened and allowed the prophesy to come true by his own actions. And after the murder Macbeth is full of remorse which shows that not even he believes that a higher power had control over his actions and that …show more content…
In fact, the actions made after were cause of the downfall of killing Duncan. Macbeth plots, independently, a crime that was not even predicted by the Wyrd Sisters. He plots an attack on Banquo, the only other person to know of the prophesies. Macbeth is, in fact, trying to go against fate with this actions when he states, “Rather than so, come fate, into the list,/and champion me to th’utterance!” (Shakespeare III. i. 71-72). With the meaning of “champion me to th’utterance” being literally “fight against me to death”, Macbeth is completely trying to go against fate. He is attempting to prevent the last prophesy told by the Wyrd Sisters from coming true, that Banquo’s descendants will be heirs of the throne. With his own will Macbeth plans out the murder and is responsible for the killing of Banquo. He takes accounts into his own hands and solely is responsible for planning and committing the murder of
The dream of becoming king has ironically changed from a bright future to a tragic end due to some of the crucial decisions Macbeth has made during the course of his journey, and a number of his actions will backfire on him. The first of his actions that backfired was when he murdered King Duncan, which he regrets afterwards. Another action that backfired was the murder of the guards, which could've drastically changed the outcome of this entire story since he could've gotten away with King Duncan's murder if he didn't commit it. The third action that backfired on Macbeth was when he ordered the murderers to murder Banquo and Fleance at which they failed to eliminate Fleance. The murder that he committed was a necessity for Macbeth in order to secure his spot as king.
In the play The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the character Macbeth acts on free will as opposed to fate. The definition of free will is having the ability to make a choice; including the possession of options, logical reasoning for choosing each option, as well as understanding the consequences of each decision. Macbeth obeys all the criteria, using “fate” as an excuse to act like a murder-crazy lunatic, ultimately resulting in his demise.
I believe that throughout the play it becomes apparent that Macbeth is warping into the wills of the others. To begin with, Macbeth seems to have never had a thought of being king and the idea of killing the king would seem preposterous. After the witches inform him of his “destiny” he then begins to have thoughts of the murder (Act I Scene 7 Line 1), would this have happened if he never encountered the witches? Another instance of this occurs before he murders the king; Macbeth has second thoughts about goring the king, but is later convinced by his wife who calls him a coward. (Act I Scene 7 Line 600) For a final occurrence, Macbeth visits the witches for a second time and asks them what shall become of him being king. The witches proceed to tell him to fear Macduff, and after hearing this Macbeth hires an assassin to murder Macduff and his family. (Act IV Scene 1 Line 73)
Ambition is Macbeth’s primary flaw that causes the valiant soldier, who would die for the king, to murder his way to control the throne. Now, others could argue that the Witches are more responsible for Macbeth's downfall because they spoke prophetically to Macbeth and wanted to see the outcome of Macbeth’s endeavor to take the throne for their own amusement. The Witches did not commit the heinous crimes, Macbeth committed acts of treason and murder. The Witches did not tell Macbeth that he would need to murder King Duncan to become king, nor did they tell him to kill Banquo. Macbeth is the main character who is responsible for his downfall, because when Macbeth is first introduced in Act 1, he is a brave and honorable soldier, who is also the Thane of Glamis. He is labeled by King Duncan as “brave Macbeth,”: “For brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name…” Before Macbeth met the Witches, he served the king with complete devotion. After the meeting the Witches, he begins to contemplate becoming King of Scotland. However, his ambition is not satisfied, when he finds out that Malcolm, King Duncan’s son is heir to his throne. Macbeth speaks of his ambition in Act 1, sc.7 line 25, “Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on th’ other” (Shakespeare). Ambition leads him to murder King Duncan, start committing heinous crimes, and continue his path
Fate is that one thing you are destined to do that has been designed just for you. Someone of a higher power designed a specific line of events to happen to you. It is all beyond your control, you did not pick your life, someone else gave you that life. Since the beginning, you were named, and everyone around you starts planning what you will become when you get older. You never really pick something for yourself because things “magically” fall into place; an opportunity presents itself and you take it. Everyone’s life is written entirely as sort of a book, you have the chance to pick the way you think but fate is what ultimately happened to Macbeth.
The effect fate has first appears in Macbeth when Lady Macbeth receives the witches’ letter telling of a prophecy. This prophecy reveals that Macbeth will seize the crown, and
In the tragedy “Macbeth,” written by William Shakespeare, Macbeths free will is shown as he tries to take what is his. “Macbeth” is about a Scottish troop (Macbeth) and his friend Banquo. Macbeth and Banquo meet three witches whom tell them about a prophecy that involves Macbeth and Banquo’s son. One of the prophecies was that Macbeth would become king. The prophecy makes Macbeth’s mind corrupted making him pursue dark actions to overthrow King Duncan. Macbeth’s free will is exhibited by the way he has the inspiration to control what he does throughout the tragedy. People may say that it is fate because the prophecy states that Macbeth will be king, but it also states that Banquo’s sons will be kings in
...ce to happen and he had the chance to his mind. He could have avoided the whole situation; he could have just accepted the titles that were placed upon him. Greedy Macbeth wanted more power. He let his better judgment be tested by all of the motives that was placed in his way as an obstacle. Crimes were committed and the death of Duncan brought upon many more killings by the hand of Macbeth. Blood was shed over greed and the prophetic word of the three fortune tellers. Macbeth should be guilty in the first degree, and punished with the capital punishment.
Macbeth is captured by his wild ambition at the opening of the play when he and Banqou meet the three witches. The witches tell Macbeth that he is the Thane of Cawdor, and later will be king. They tell Banquo that his sons will be kings. Instantly Macbeth started to fantasize how he is going to be king. He understood that in order for him to become king he has to kill Duncan. “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical”(Act 1 Sc. 3, p.23). He was pondering about the assassination until the moment that he could no longer control his emotions. “To prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself and falls on the other-“(Act 1 Sc. 7, p.41). Because of his “vaulting ambition” he killed Duncan.
Fate is one person's destiny, it cannot be understood by mere mortals but a greater power beyond human comprehension. Fate is so powerful that it controls a person's outcome on life before it happens. Many people become victims of fate in which they catch a glimpse of what their future is going to look like, but do not totally grasp the outcome. Macbeth cannot fully comprehend the possible outcome of his fate because he is mortal, and therefore is a victim to his power driven quest and his ultimate fate. Many have been said to agree with this statement. For example, as stated in Shakespeare A to Z, "The Witches are an enactment of the irrational. The supernatural world if terrifying because it is beyond human control, and in the play it is therefore symbolic of the unpredictable force of human motivation." The magic of the witches is thus an image of human moral disruption. Through their own uncertain nature, they demonstrate- and promote- the disruption in the world of they play.
We certainly know that the direct cause of Duncan’s death is Macbeth. However, this does not necessarily mean he is to blame, for his violent death is obviously the consequence of certain influences that forced Macbeth to perform his fatal deed. Furthermore, to unearth the truth about who is really the guilty for Duncan’s murder, we must explore the influences the different characters have on Macbeth’s impulses and the overall scenario of the slaying. Firstly, we shall consider Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, as they are the two who planned and performed the murder. Although after the witches told Macbeth that he was to be king and he was burning in desire to be so he, in first instance, decided that if fate had determined that he was to be the sovereign of Scotland he shouldn’t try to reach the throne by his own actions, that it would come eventually: “If Chance will have me king, why, Chance may crown me, / Without my stir”.
It was predetermined by fate that Macbeth would believe the witches' words. When Macbeth does in fact become thane of Cawdor, he then believes fully in the witches and is willing to do anything it takes to become king. This willingness to do whatever is necessary to become the king of Scotland is also what causes Macbeth to commit so many murders, the first of which is Duncan. In order for Macbeth to be king, the current king must die and his successors must be unavailable for the throne. Fate plays a huge hand in the way that Duncan's murder plays out.
2 Based on this definition, the women of fate appear to have either been controlling the way history played out, or they had the ability to see what was going to happen. Either way, Macbeth had no control over his life, so he was basically a pawn on a bloody chess board moving about under the control of “fate”. As Macbeth progressed further into his downfall and more of the witches’ prophecies came true, Macbeth started to believe that their statements could not be false. “The spirits that know/ All mortal consequences.” (V.iii. lines 4-5).
Fate and free will both have a strong rooting in the play Macbeth. The role of fate was to tell Macbeth that he was one day to become king of Scotland. Fate was not the cause of Macbeth’s downfall. The actions made under Macbeth’s free will are the sole reason for his own downfall. Macbeth was afraid that he might not become king, so he took matters into his own hands to be absolutely sure he would attain the throne. He decided to leave out chance and take the throne for himself by killing Duncan. By leaving out chance, Macbeth left out the chance for fate to bring his downfall.
Duncan is the most unlikely character to be killed because of his personality, but his title as King of Scotland, causes for Macbeth to loathe Duncan. In the play there is very little interaction between Macbeth and Duncan, showing the little time in which Macbeth gets more power. Prior to the witches’ prophecies Macbeth is loyal to Duncan, and would never imagine killing him. After the one of the witches’ prophecies comes to be true, the thought of killing Duncan, Macbeth "yield[s] to that suggestion / whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / and make my seated heart knock at my ribs" (1.3.146-148). Partly because of Lady Macbeth’s suggestion his "vaulting ambition" is starting to take over, and he begins to take into consideration killing Duncan, to become king. Macbeth however, does not feel comfortable in killing Macbeth, giving himself reasons why not to kill Duncan: “First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, Who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself,” (I, vii, 13-16) Lady Macbeth, convinces Macbeth, that killing Duncan is the right thing to do until right before he performs the murder. We learn from this murder that Macbeth truly had faith in the king and was very loyal, but knowing that one day he would become king, his ambition and the persuasion of Lady Macbeth, causes him to perform the act, that he will regret. This murder changes Macbeth as a person, however, and he soon feels little regret for killing King Duncan, but this act will soon aid in his downfall.