Fate and Free Will in William Shakespeares Macbeth Essays

Fate and Free Will in William Shakespeares Macbeth In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, there is a question as to whether or not Macbeth is driven by fate or free will. The three weird sisters approach Macbeth with prophecies that will all come true in the end. It would appear that Macbeth is just following destiny at first. However, Macbeth always had a choice throughout the play to choose his own fate. Macbeth journeyed to his murderous doom through his own free choice. In Act I, the three witches visit Macbeth and Banquo on the heath. The witches make three predictions; Macbeth will be the Thane of Cawdor, he will be King, and Banquo’s sons will be king but not Banquo. Even though the witches did make these prophecies, Macbeth’s fate was†¦show more content†¦At this point in the novel Macbeth is using the witches as a guideline to his life. The apparition that he cannot be harmed by anyone born of woman creates a false sense of security within himself. Even at this point, Macbeth still has a choice of whether or not to believe the witches. The weird sisters have not put any spell on him; they have just filled his greedy mind with a sense of security and power for kingship. From the beginning, Macbeth chose to follow the witches instead of letting things just naturally occur. Banquo serves to show how the predictions were not just destiny and did not control his life. Even when he sees that many are becoming true, he states, may they (witches) not be my oracles(Act III, sc.i, 9). He is stating that he will just let events occur and not try to fulfill the prophecies. Macbeth also had this same choice. If he had taken the same approach as Banquo, a claim could be made that it was destiny that Macbeth would murder Duncan. However, Macbeth lived on account of the prophecies, not the reverse. Macbeth’s downward spiral of events was created through his own free will. The witches did foretell his future but they never directly controlled his actions. The sisters did not cast a spell to make Macbeth go crazy. He was engulfed in his lust for power and his battle with his conscience. This led to his insomniaShow MoreRelatedMacbeth Themes899 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"What are the major themes in Macbeth† By Connor Maguire William Shakespeare’s Macbeth a play complete with many themes and viewpoints. The themes are exhibited by the main characters of the play, notably antagonist Macbeth. Themes seen in the play include ambition, where is is portrayed as both dangerous and unnatural. However, it does exist in both good and evil forms in the play. Another theme seen is whether Macbeths actions in the play are a result of fate, or free will. Although outside sourcesRead MoreEssay on Macbeth vs. Satan695 Words   |  3 PagesMacbeth vs. Satan How can two authors write stories almost half a century apart where the characters have comparable qualities? 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