Examples Of Fate In Macbeth - 724 Words

The Trap of Destiny Throughout the play Macbeth by Shakespeare the characters battle with a constant struggle between what is fate and what is their own free will. Macbeth, a war hero in the eyes of his own countrymen, is told two prophecies that change everything. He believed everything the three witches told him and made decisions accordingly, eventually causing his own demise in the process. Once Macbeth learns about his supposed fate, all of his decisions reflect the prophecies, had he chosen to live his life the way it was and forget the prophecies all together he would have been able to avoid the situation he ended up in. Before Macbeth was told about the possibility of him becoming king, he had no desire to kill king†¦show more content†¦Macbeth sought them out after he felt the first three prophecies had been dealt with looking for more guidance In Macbeth saying â€Å" I conjure you, by that which you profess, howe’er you come to know it, answer me†(Sh akespeare,4.1.52-53). Macbeth thought he had made true the prophecies that helped him, and ended those that did not. Fate does not work this way, the witches simply planted ideas into Macbeth’s head. The witches had complete control of Macbeth, they were able to tell him anything and he would either try to make it a reality or stop it from hurting him. Once Macbeth becomes king, he becomes paranoid, due to the third prophecy given by the witches, which says that Banquo will become the father of kings. When both the prophecy that the Macbeth would be king of Cawdor and that he would become king came true Macbeth was worried that Banquo and his son Fleance would try to overthrow him. Due to this paranoia Macbeth hires three murderers to kill Banquo and his son, they are unsuccessful in killing Fleance, but they kill Banquo. Macbeth goes insane after Banquo is murdered and sees his ghost. It had been Banquo’s supposed fate to be father to kings, yet it would have also bee n Macbeth’s fate to kill Banquo, it can not be both. There are many instances of contradictions like these in the play. It is important to realize that fate is not something that is predestined, it isShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Macbeth : Fate1380 Words   |  6 PagesIn Macbeth, which is written by Shakespeare, fate plays a very important part in the play. Macbeth’s fate is fulfilled when he fulfills the prophecy and apparitions that Shakespeare wrote for him. In other words, Shakespeare wrote Macbeth’s fate. Fate is something that unavoidably happens; fate is very similar, if not the same thing, as destiny. In the play, there is a question of whether or not Shakespeare believes that fate has the power to rule people’s lives. There are many examples of fateRead MoreMacbeth Theme Essay1329 Words   |  6 PagesThe play, Macbeth, Macbeth and his wife kill the king of Scotland so Macbeth can become king. As a result, of the witches since they told him about the prophecy and how he would become king. He eventually does more evil things which fills Lady Macbeth with guilt. She ends up killing herself and Macbeth ends up dying. In the play, there are numerous of themes that you can see and examples that you can find. There are five themes that we have discussed in class which are ambition, guilt, things areRead MoreTheme Of Betrayal In Macbeth923 Words   |  4 PagesBetrayal in Macbeth William Shakespeare’s Macbeth focuses on many themes all at once. Like life, there is no one central theme that drives the play along and moves action forward. While a central theme, there is one present in Macbeth that is interesting to dissect, and that is the theme of betrayal. This theme moves the play along more than any other and is one of the most interesting. Three key examples of betrayal in Macbeth are of the obvious betrayal of Duncan by Macbeth, the emotional betrayalRead More Fate vs. Freedom Essay1046 Words   |  5 Pages Fate may state what will be in ones life however, how that destiny comes about is a matter of mans own choice. In other words, incidents dont occur because our destinies are written. In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare expertly uses the theme of fate vs. free will and raises the pre-eminent question of which holds power over the characters. In Shakespeare’s tragedy, fate is not the cause of his downfall, his own desires and choices prove to be the deciding factor. There are several examples ofRead MoreThemes Of Guilt In Macbeth711 Words   |  3 PagesMacbeth is a story written by Shakespear filled with many different themes. These themes are statements about life and human nature. 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HeRead MoreExamples Of Free Will In Macbeth1015 Words   |  5 PagesIs one’s life dominated by fate or free will? Perhaps one’s future has been predetermined by some external force or perhaps one has the choice to pave their future. These ideas are further explored in the the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and the play Macbeth by Shakespeare. Things Fall Apart is about a man named Okonkwo’s struggle between the changes that arise with the arrival of white missionaries in the villages of his home in Nigeria, the conflicts that arise between the arrival ofRead MoreMacbeth : A Victim Of Choice Not Fate1327 Words   |  6 PagesWorld Literature 2 November 2016 Macbeth a Victim of Choice not Fate Humans have their own free wills and they behave based on their ambitions. Everyday, they make choices; others do not decide what one should do. In Macbeth, brave and loyal Macbeth hears a prophecy about his fate from three witches; they refer to Macbeth as thane of Glamis, thane of Cawdor, and the future king. When he realizes that these prophecies are true, ambition and greed overcome Macbeth. Boosted by the prophecy and his wife’sRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare Has Remained A Powerful Literary Force1088 Words   |  5 Pageshis works are as well known as Macbeth. The play s epic tale of ambition and greed never fails to captivate audiences. The major themes of this quintessential work are hackneyed in the world of literary criticism: the role of ambition in Macbeth s demise, the role of spirits and witches in carrying out evil, the corrupting of human morals, and many other similar themes. However, another equally important theme is the struggle of fate and free will. In Macb eth, fate is the dominant force; the charactersRead MoreThe Human Mind And Act Of William Shakespeare s Macbeth1324 Words   |  6 Pagessimply an act of fate and manipulation? In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare suggests that choices are a creation of the human mind and act as a way for people to feel as though they have control when they are ultimately ruled by fate. He accomplishes this by leading the audience through a series of choices that several characters make and how they eventually meet their fate, specifically Macbeth himself. Although other characters make choices that aid Macbeth in his destiny, Macbeth s Shakespeare shows