Fate Vs Free Will In Macbeth

1181 Words3 Pages

Abraham Lincoln once said, “You can be anything you want to be”. He believed that free will is enough to allow people to be what they want to be. On the other side, tales such as Greek mythology speak of inescapable destinies locked in by fate. Whether the fate is targeted at a god or a hero, he tries everything to eschew the prophecy, except the fate always comes true; often the free will’s resistance against the fate acts as the root of the fate. One of William Shakespeare’s plays, Macbeth, revolves around issues involving fate and free will. The main character Macbeth is seen attempting to invalidate unfavorable prophecies by his free will. Macbeth is not under complete free will, but he is a mere victim of ruthless psychological manipulation disguised in the name of fate; it leads him to the “fates” that should never have occurred. Although Macbeth is seen committing a lot of evil, his true free will illustrates no evidence of good or evil. It is clear that Macbeth is loyal to the king and has no intention of harming Duncan. When Duncan apologizes to Macbeth for not having repaid his deeds to the kingdom, Macbeth replies back saying that “the service and the loyalty I owe in doing it pays itself. Your highness’ part is to receive our duties,” (Shakespeare 1.4.25-27). Even when his wife talks him into murdering Duncan, Macbeth replies, “we will proceed no further in this business. He hath honored me of late, and I have bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people” (Shakespeare 1.7.34-36). Clearly, not only does Macbeth lack the motive to harm the king, but he also has the “Golden opinions” from people; killing the king to fulfill the prophecy would only obliterate the “Golden opinions”. Furthermore, it is evident that the i... ... middle of paper ... ...anding performance. “Formed through the interplay of past performance… teacher expectancies have an undeniable influence on students’ learning. Skinner and Belmont (1993) point out the following about teacher behavior: 1) Teacher behavior influences students’ perceptions of their interactions with teachers. 2) Teacher behavior influences student engagement.” (Bruns 3) Even after ordering, Lady Macbeth shows high expectation from his husband as a man. “When you durst do it, then you were a man; and to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man” (Shakespeare 1.7.56-58). Whether Macbeth is within a respect for knowledge, under an authority, over an authority, or even just onto a mere high expectation, extremely brutal psychological pressure surrounds Macbeth and coerces him toward the “fate” rather than the fate itself being necessarily being true.

Show More
Related

  • Personal Responsibility of Macbeth in Spakespeare's Macbeth

    471 Words  | 1 Pages

    Let me ask just one question, have you ever heard anyone say something, that deep down it is known that, that is not right? Of course, everyone has been in that circumstance. Just because someone ‘tells’ you to do something does not mean that the deed gets done, right? If someone ‘told’ me to murder a lot of people, I’m not going to do it. The same follows for Macbeth. In the novel Macbeth written by William Shakespeare the main character, Macbeth, is told that he will become King. The only logical way to become king (in his own mind) is to kill the existing one, King Duncan. Lady Macbeth, Macbeth’s wife, has no uncertainty at all, in fact she wants him to become king more than he does, and tells him to murder Duncan to obtain this position. As one can see Macbeth not only knows what he is doing, but he knows what he is doing is wrong.

    Read More

  • Macbeth: Fate vs Free Will

    1200 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fate vs Free Will is one of the most oft used literary techniques in writing. It is never more evident than in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. The major theme of the story Macbeth is whether or not the story is fueled by the free will of Macbeth, or by his fate. Are the events in Macbeth a result of his mentality and outlook on life, or were they going to happen no matter what? Almost every major event that takes place can be traced back to this question. It can be viewed in different ways, and most people have their own opinions. Dissecting this question is a part of what makes teaching Macbeth still have so much value to this day. But there is a clear answer to this question upon further dissection. The story of Macbeth is fueled by his free will, which he perceives to be a necessary part of achieving his fate.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Fate And Free Will Analysis

    1503 Words  | 4 Pages

    The comparison between Fate and Free Will has been going on for centuries. Fate is like what is pre-decided for what is going to happen in the future. Everyone wants to have a choice in life and be free. Sometimes having the opportunity to choose something can make it harder for that person. Throughout the play, Macbeth fights himself on whether or not to go through all of these horrendous courses to become king. He knows it is not the right thing to do, but he has Lady Macbeth telling him to do everything, even when it’s wrong. The three evil sisters are not much help either. They keep feeding him these predictions and make him believe that he has control over what is to come. Macbeth becomes very torn, but winds up listening to his wife and the three witches. He has no excuse for his actions because he had many chances to fix or change them. Macbeth's ruinous decisions and actions are initiated by free will and eventually leads to his death.

    Read More

  • The Influence Of Fate In Macbeth

    1007 Words  | 3 Pages

    How much of an influence does fate have on the ideals of a person? Is Macbeth acting out the selfish desires of his own accord? Fate is thought to be unavoidable, and all the paths of life lead to a destiny that is inescapable. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, not only is Macbeth’s hand forced in committing a murder, his fate is expedited in the process. Macbeth is in control of his own destiny, but is spurned into decisions by the Witches and his wife. Although Macbeth believes he is controlled by fate, a more thorough inspection reveals his control over all his actions.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Free Will Quotes

    743 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Blind Ambition in Macbeth

    855 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth’s blind ambition leads him to surrender to his dark desires that taunt him throughout the play. Macbeth is frequently tempted to result to the wrongful methods that seem to roam inside of him. In the beginning however Macbeth tends to ignore these desires and depends on chance. He declares “if chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, without my stir” (Shakespeare, act 1, scene 3, 143-144). This declaration by Macbeth shows his initial stand, which is reliant on fate and sin free. Yet as Macbeth’s character develops throughout the play, he moves farther from his dependence on chance and closer to his darker desires. Eventually his blind ambition to become king overp...

    Read More

  • Macbeth a Victim of Choice not Fate

    431 Words  | 1 Pages

    The three witches told Macbeth of his fate. Did the events in Macbeth?s life occur because of the witches? prophesy or was it because of the choices he made? Could there possibly be some of both? What caused Macbeth to fall? Was it his fate or his free will?

    Read More

  • Free Choice In Macbeth

    269 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Macbeth, free choice, not fate, is to blame for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s actions. Firstly, the witches never say that Macbeth must kill Duncan in order to be king. When the clairvoyant witches give Macbeth his prophecy, they say, “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (Macbeth Act I Sc III li.51). Since the witches do not say that Macbeth will kill the current king in order to claim the throne, one could argue that Macbeth’s decision to murder Duncan was of free choice. Another line proves that free choice undid Macbeth. After Macbeth receives the title of thane of Cawdor without any action on his behalf, he decides, “If chance will have me king, why, chance/ may crown me/ without my stir” (Macbeth Act 1 Sc 3 li.47-49). This

    Read More

  • Fate in Macbeth

    988 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Macbeth: Predestination or Free Will?

    1031 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the context of the fictional story of Macbeth, it is hard to argue that fate was not controlling his life and actions. Many prophecies were made that seemed impossible at first, but each one came true and things happened as expected, though maybe not in the exact way or at the exact time that they were thought to. It is pretty clear throughout the narrative that the concept of fate prevails in the context of Macbeth, but once these beliefs are placed into the realm of the real world, there is a lot more room for argument. Things in real life are less certain, and there are many variables that can affect a person’s opinion on this matter. Ultimately, it comes down to a personal decision that everyone exercises their freedom of choice on to establish what they believe.

    Read More

  • The Impact of Free Will in William Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1181 Words  | 3 Pages

    Free will is defined as the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate. It is the ability to act at one’s own discretion. What this means is that there is no set destiny; only a person’s own decisions can impact the outcome of their life. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, free will plays a very substantial and powerful role. In 11th century Scotland, three witches give a prophecy to Macbeth, a general in King Duncan’s army, that he will one day become King himself. They also give a prophecy to Macbeth’s best friend, Banquo, telling him that his descendants will be Kings. Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, hatch a plan to commit regicide in order to speed up the process. After their father is found dead, the King’s sons flee to England and Ireland and unknowingly casting the blame upon them. Macbeth is crowned King, and the prophecy has been fulfilled. Macbeth’s reign as King is one of violence and destruction, and he is overcome with guilt. He kills a lord named Macduff’s family because he finds out he has gone to England to help one of the sons. Macduff comes back to Scotland and slays Macbeth, and King Duncan’s eldest son becomes King. Some might argue that Macbeth was a victim of fate and circumstance, but it was of his own free will that he decided to murder King Duncan, and go on a reign of terror as King. Shakespeare’s Macbeth establishes that one’s free will can impact their decision-making abilities, ambition and paranoia. Free will is a concept that not everyone accepts, but something that Macbeth takes head on.

    Read More

  • Good And Evil In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    991 Words  | 2 Pages

    Murder. Evil. Prophecies. Persuasion. These concepts aid Macbeth to transform into the “dead butcher” Malcolm describes him as. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is described as being heroic and noble since he proudly fought for his country in the war. However, he is soon described as a “tyrant” and as “wicked” after learning of the witches’ prophecy and pursuing their misleading vision. The witches and Lady Macbeth push Macbeth in order to cross the line between good and evil: the witches implant the idea of murdering King Duncan and usurping his throne, while Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to kill the King. Although Lady Macbeth and the witches push Macbeth to commit these acts of murder in exchange for power, Macbeth possesses evil, an ambitious desire to carry out these atrocities.

    Read More

  • The Tragedy of Macbeth

    921 Words  | 2 Pages

    At the end of an awful, long day one might wonder what went wrong – was the universe against them? Was it a mistake on their part? What have they lost as a result? Such a scenario can be exemplified in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. First, outside forces influence Macbeth into making decisions he would not ordinarily make. Second, Macbeth’s transition from a revered leader to a detested king can be symbolized by the absence of nobility loyalty, and peace. Third, Macbeth’s overwhelming pride and thirst for power leads him to commit a series of crimes. The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare highlights the role of a Tragic Hero signifying that not staying true to ones core values will ultimately lead to their downfall.

    Read More

  • Fate And Fate In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    733 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fate is defined as the "development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power." Free will is described as actions done on one's own accord. In the story Macbeth written by Shakespeare's our main character is faced with being told his fate, however, he takes matters into his own hands and as a result creates chaos. Through the actions of Macbeth and other characters, we see the themes of Fate versus free will, Things are not what they seem, Nature versus the Unnatural, and Guilt.

    Read More

  • Fate Vs Freewill In The Crucible

    1240 Words  | 3 Pages

    Does an individual’s actions truly affect their outcome? The question of whether one’s life is predetermined or their decisions affect their ultimatum; fate vs freewill, is one of the most frequently asked philosophical question without a definite answer. The two plays of Macbeth by William Shakespeare and The Crucible by Arthur Miller are excellent at illustrating the theme of fate vs freewill. The two plays provides interesting perspectives on this theme and give intuition on the controversy of fate vs freewill through actions of tragic characters such as Macbeth and John Proctor. Each character progressively and seamlessly becomes victims of their own freewill, although fate is still present, it is ultimately freewill that attributes to

    Read More

More about Fate Vs Free Will In Macbeth

Open Document