Is Macbeth Responsible For His Own Fate Analysis

This story has both fate and free will. This is more than clear because as mentioned; the prophecy of the witches telling Macbeth he will become the king of Scotland but they didn’t tell him how was he going to become king. He just interpreted the prophecy, as he wanted. Fate has a very important role in the story.

In Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, Macbeth was a victim of both free will and fate. One was not more predominant than the other. It seemed as if Macbeth was just following his destiny at first, but he had a chance to change his fate. It was his lust for power that leads him to doom through his own free will.

In fact, Macbeth becomes fascinated by them, "would they had stayed." Banquo serves as his conscience, perhaps representing the period audience who would have also thought the witches to be evil and unnatural, and warns him of the dangers of trusting such supernatural messengers; a warning that goes unheeded. After hearing the prophecy, Macbeth already thinks about, "murder," and becomes preoccupied with thoughts of becoming king showing the powerful hold they have over him with only one meeting, scaring the audience who would have believed in Witches. Macbeth believes the Witches as there first prophecy came true and ignores the fact that they’re evil beings whereas Banquo recognizes them for what they are. He even informs his most beloved, Lady Macbeth, who also shares his ambition.

In the beginning of the story, one of the first things that caused Macbeth to falter with his free will was manipulation. He was first manipulated by the three witches in act one, scene three. The witches tell Macbeth that he “shalt be king hereafter” (Mac.1.3.50). By saying this, the witches were able to plant that idea in his mind, manipulating his actions.

Firstly, the witches could have complete power over Macbeth’s destiny while he has no control whatsoever. On the other hand, there is also the argument that Macbeth carves his own path due to his ambitious nature. However, the witches cannot control the fate of Macbeth because we control our own fates, and our own actions in the present are what shapes our future. Macbeth is seen as a very ambitious character from the start of the play while fighting against the rebels, to the end when he is slain. How he decides he uses his ambition

Macbeth shows free will because there was no foreshadowing or previous events leading up to him attacking Macbeth. The next example of fate is when Fleance escaped the murderers Macbeth sent for him and his father. As Fleance escapes the murderer says “There’s but one down; the son is fled ”(III.iv.24). This shows fate because the witches showed Macbeth that the descendants of Banquo would be king. Macbeth says “Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs.

At the start of the play, Macbeth visits the witches with Banquo at the closing of the battle. The witches speak to Macbeth and Banquo and get the idea of a prophecy in Macbeth’s mind. “All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis./ All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor./ All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter” (1.3.46-48). When the witches get the prophecy in Macbeth’s mind, he believes it will come true and misunderstands the prophecy of the witches. Although the witches make Macbeth believe in the prophecy of becoming the King, Macbeth is responsible for his downfall because they do not recommend Macbeth to kill Duncan.

“If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me, without my stir” (Shakespeare 144). Macbeth, a loyal subject to his king has an encounter that will change his fate with an ultimate effect on his free will. They claim three predictions, Macbeth will be the Thane of Cawdor and later crowned King but Macbeths lineage will not maintain the throne. After this supernatural confrontation, Macbeth questions this loyalty which will ultimately lead to his new fate carried out (LitCharts 1). Fully capable to act upon his own free will, Macbeth instead is driven by fate to his destruction which gives further insight of his character advancement.

Shakespeare’s Macbeth, expresses the universal truth that one’s life is not determined by fate, but rather the choices that one makes; furthermore, how choosing poorly can lead to overwhelming feelings of guilt. The most prominent and underlying theme of Macbeth, is the concept of fate vs. free will, most clearly seen through the rising in power and eventual downfall of Macbeth himself. Early in the play, the Three Witches prophesied that Macbeth will become king of Scotland; however, the prophecy ends there. Macbeth exercises his free will and makes the decision to kill King Duncan and ensure his appointment to king.

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth the witches informs Macbeth of his fate that he will become the king in the future. Macbeth believes the witches words and Lady Macbeth persuade him to become the king and murder all the people that get in the way. Shakespeare shows us that fate is complicated by our actions, Macbeth will do anything to meet his fate that in the end lead him to his death because of his greediness.

As proved by Macbeth’s success to become the Thane of Cawdor, the prophecies are Macbeth’s fate; they will be the outcomes of his life, but how they will come to be is dependent on Macbeth’s own choices. When Macbeth shares the prophesies with his wife, Lady Macbeth, she helps him murder King Duncan in order to gain the throne. The witches had predicted that Macbeth would be king but they hadn’t said when or how. It is Macbeth’s own choice to murder Duncan because of his deep desire to become king. Macbeth wants to protect his power and eliminate all enemies that may come in the way.

In other words, they told him he would become king in the future. This causes a catastrophe because the Three Witches were the masterminds behind all the murder and planting the seed of ambition into Macbeth’s head. It shows how the Witches were the puppet masters behind all of it and they

The author of many well-known tragedies, William Shakespeare, has pieces that set into iconic plays in English literature. What makes them the best, is all Shakespearean tragedies have a common element: fatal flaw— all heroes have a weakness personality that results in lead them to their downfall. For instance, Macbeth, a renowned fallen hero, was told of a change that completely shifts his life; all driven by fate. In Act I, readers are introduced to supernatural influences ( The Weïrd Sisters), whose plot of the tragedy base on their name. ( Weïrd meaning "fate").

In the play Macbeth, the lead role “Macbeth” was given a prophecy. Part of the prophecy stated that Macbeth would be king. Macbeth made decisions to make the prophecies come true, rather than believing that his actions were predetermined. Shakespeare, the author of Macbeth, probably believed that fate is never predetermined. I believe Macbeth’s actions were the cause of his own decisions, and that he did what he could to make his prophecies come true.

At first these thoughts remain hidden, but when the witches approach him with their predictions his desires reform his character. The witches wait for Macbeth and tell him series of predictions. The specific prediction, “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (1.3.51) causes Macbeth’s desire to become more intensified. Their prediction that he would become king brings a change in his character.