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Role of fate in shakespearean tragedy
The role of fate in shakespearean tragedy
Role of fate in shakespearean tragedy
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There are many things that motivate the human mind. Whether these things are good or evil does not really matter, what matters is what is produced from these motives. There is also a common theme in what is produced, it is never a neutral result. Either life is produced or death rains down, love is shown to many or hate grows into the monster that it is. What motivates is the largest contributor to what is produced as an end result. In William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”, the main characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are driven by the powers of fate, the greed of fortune, and desire for free will. Throughout the tragedy of Macbeth, the main character of Macbeth begin to play more and more into fate. The three witches that Macbeth first runs into …show more content…
Although Macbeth thinks nothing of the prophecy Lady Macbeth believes that he needs to seize this opportunity to seize the thrown. This motive sits within her thoughts that fate does not make things happen, it needs help in order to come true (Macbeth and Fate, n.d.). These initial thoughts of Lady Macbeth would cause the reader to think that she is more influenced by fate than Macbeth himself. Macbeth also has a moment that tells the reader that he also believes that fate is real. Before he goes to kill Duncan, Macbeth goes into a monologue about how he knows he is entering a battle with fate. He challenges fate to a battle during his preparations for the murder, knowing that this fight he is entering will be long and hard but he will not surrender to fate itself. This also changes Macbeth’s thoughts on the prophecy, he originally thought of the prophecy as “chance”, but after his decision to kill Duncan Macbeth no longer wants to leave anything to chance (Macbeth and Fate, n.d.). After the murder of Duncan and Banquo, Macbeth hears hi fate once again. This time …show more content…
He allows Lady Macbeth to have a great influence over him and therefor allows fate to do the same. However, every decision he makes after hearing his prophecy is a choice of his own free will. He may have been influenced by factors outside of himself, but the decisions he makes are fully his. When he makes the decision to murder Duncan that is fully his decision. He was the one who sparked the idea of murder into his own head and he was the one who went through with it. Nowhere in his prophecy was it said that he would have to murder in order to secure his crown. Macbeth also continues with his own idea to murder throughout the entire story (Lowe, 2005). Only when Macbeth allows himself to no longer fight fate and finds strength within his prophecy does he give up his free will. Allowing the prophecy to run its course and lead to his
The underlying cause of Macbeth’s fate was his own actions and ambitions. He possesses his own free-will and kills King Duncan despite the deed being so cruel and nothing forcing his hand (Doc C). Lady Macbeth has no power over his actions. She may only influence thoughts and opinions. The Weïrd Sisters too, while highly convincing to him, have no physical power over Macbeth’s actions. After acquiring his title of Thane of Cawdor, he recognizes that if these predictions were absolute, then “chance may crown [him],/Without [his] stir.” (Doc A). If the predictions were truly ultimate, then action would not be required. However, because he still felt the need to ensure his position as king, he tempts fate and pays the price. There was no outer force controlling Macbeth’s actions and he is fully
However, one must also recognize that the path he chooses--to murder Duncan in order to secure his title--was influenced by the witches’ prophecy. While fate seems to guide Macbeth, he is still able to make is own
Because of the witches’ prophecies, Lady Macbeth’s ambition and Macbeth’s greed, Macbeth diverges from his values and principles, corrupting him and ultimately leading to his downfall. Because of their greed and pride, the characters in the Tragedy of Macbeth end up not only losing everything that was important to them, but also the path on life they had tried so hard to stay on. Greed and pride shatters the fate that one would have had, whether fate is defined as where one would want to end up, or as where one will end up at.
Throughout the story Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth seemed to just be a victim of “fate”. But, in the end it was clear that his character gained power over that “fate”, at least he gained power over
Macbeth’s decision that had the greatest impact on his life was his choice to murder Duncan. He makes this decision entirely on his own. Macbeth already was hoping something would happen to Duncan as soon as he names Malcom as the Prince of Cumberland (1.4.48-53). He is already thinking about the possibility of taking the throne by some form of intervention. Macbeth knows that when Malcom was named as the heir that he will not become king, but he decides to intervene without anyone convincing him to kill the king (1.4.48-50). It can be known that Macbeth was already high in the
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
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.
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?
Fate also plays a role in the death of Macbeth. Because the witches were right about Macbeth's life the first time, he believed them a second time, which led to his death. They told him that he should watch out for MacDuff, that he could not be harmed by any man who was born of a woman, and that he would reign until Birnam wood came to Dunsinane hill. This gave Macbeth a false sense of security and made him think that no one could ever harm him. However, the weird sisters' twisted words gave fate the chance to cause Macbeth's ruin when an army concealed by the branches of Birnam wood came to Dunsinane hill to bring Macbeth down.
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.
A number of outside forces influence Macbeth into making decisions that would not ordinarily make. Macbeth’s noble preferences of staying loyal to the throne are severed when his beliefs and manliness are jeopardized. When first informed of the witches prophesies, Macbeth is unbelieving. However, when they are fulfilled almost instantly, seeds of doubt are implemented deep inside of him. In I.iii.144-145, Macbeth says “If good, why do I yield that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair” demonstrating the impact the prophesies have on him indicting that he has begun to refute his noble beliefs and go against the throne. Comparatively, Lady Macbeth plays an extremely large role in the decisions Macbeth makes as she states in I.vii.45-48 “... Live a coward in thine own esteem letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” like the poor cat I’ the adage?” highlighting the pressure and shame she inflicts upon her husband in order to get him to decide. It is because of this domineering push does Macb...
While speaking to herself, Lady Macbeth contemplates how she will convince Macbeth to agree to kill King Duncan. She urges Macbeth to hurry home so that she can “pour [her] spirits in [his] ear/And chastise with the valor of [her] tongue” (1.5.29-30). Lady Macbeth implies that her speech is honorable and just, and that she will be able to hold persuasive power over Macbeth and use it to their collective advantage in their rise to power. Her confidence in both the high caliber of her words and being able to convince Macbeth to follow through with her plan underscores her cruel ability to lure someone to murder another, as well as her bold resolve to successfully murder Duncan. Later, after a messenger arrives and tells Lady Macbeth that King Duncan will be arriving soon at the castle, she speaks of Duncan’s foreboding future; a “the fatal entrance…under [her] battlements” (Act, Page number, Line). The tone of finality in which Lady Macbeth describes the king’s arrival implies not only that Lady Macbeth already has full confidence that her deadly scheme will succeed,but also in the case that her strategic plan fails, she will persevere to ensure that Duncan does not leave her castle walls alive. Lastly, at the conclusion of her soliloquy, Lady Macbeth claims once she sees Macbeth that she “feel(s) now/The future in the instant” (1.6.64-65).
Lady Macbeth is a second major influence on Macbeth. As soon as Lady Macbeth learns of the witches' words from Macbeth's letter, we learn Macbeth is c...
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.
Macbeth might be just one man, but he is not the only one in control of his own fate. Throughout the story, it is extremely evident that Macbeth is not the one in control. Lady Macbeth is the one who convinces Macbeth to kill Duncan, which transforms him into a much darker, evil person for the rest of the story. But the three witches prophecies are the true reasoning for all of these evil thoughts and actions in the first place. The story begins with the three Witches providing Macbeth with three different prophecies about his future, and when his wife finds out she attempts to control Macbeth to force these prophecies to come true. Macbeth was given prophecies multiple times, and every time he hears a new one, that he when he begins to make