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Control In Macbeth

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The witches have a massive presence in William Shakespeare's iconic tragedy, Macbeth. Their prophetic speeches the witches tell Macbeth throughout the play raise questions: Did the witches cause Macbeth's downfall, or were they simply manipulating Macbeth and had no real control in Macbeth? While initially, it may appear that the witches had no real control in Macbeth, but their words and actions display a different truth. Additionally, the prophecies act as triggers for Macbeth’s dormant ambition causing him to commit crimes. Furthermore, the witches operate behind the chaos, manipulating Macbeth and driving him down into making the wrong choices. However, it is important to note that Macbeth could have averted his tragic fate if he resisted …show more content…

One instance occurs in Act 1, scene 3, when the witches first meet Macbeth, saying "All Hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! Hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter". The prophecies promise him a wonderful future, filled with titles which he will "earn" and the glorious life he was going to live. Allured by the promise of success, Macbeth is consumed by his ambition. Blinded by the prophecies, he fails to realise the atrocities he’ll do, including the murder of the king and his friend, in a pursuit of power. Another case which we see is in Act 1, Scene 3, where prophecies further corrupt Macbeth, the witches tell Banquo: "Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none". Although this prophecy was directed at Banquo, Macbeth realises that his friend might become a threat to his rule, therefore killing Banquo. The prophecies plant seeds of corruption in Macbeth's mind and amplify the dormant lust for power within him. This leads him to commit horrific …show more content…

The witches' supernatural abilities allow them to create hallucinations that only Macbeth can see, influencing his thoughts and actions such as corrupting his mind to the point where he kills Macduff’s family as a threat. One scene where we see the influence of the hallucinations created by the witches is in Act 2, Scene 1, just before Macbeth kills the king, he sees a dagger and says: "Is this a dagger that I see before me, the hilt to my hand?” The floating dagger that Macbeth further encourages his corrupted mind to commit the atrocity, pointing him in the direction of the king’s room. The prophecies have not only affected him, but also his wife. Lady Macbeth upon hearing about the prophecies, causes her to become corrupted. This was an offer which Lady Macbeth could not give up, as she would gain immense authority. Lady Macbeth guilt-trips her husband multiple times, an occurrence of this is in Act 1, Scene 7, where Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth: "What beast was't then, that made you break this enterprise to me? Did then adhere, and yet you would make both". This quote is one of many where Lady Macbeth gaslights Macbeth into submission. The influence the witches have on Macbeth is massive, they exploit Macbeth's vulnerability and corrupt those around

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873 Words | 4 Pages

Control is a recurring theme in the play "Macbeth" as it warns the audience of the reprecussions of trying to control your fate. The first key event where control features in a significant way is the witches prophecies. They tell Macbeth that he will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland which establishes the importance of fate. Shakespeare conveys the witches as agents of evil that are deceptive and dangerous, "oftentimes to win us to our harm/the instruments of darkness tell us truths," showing that they use truth itself to influence a horrible outcome (Macbeth 's tragic demise.) Their message is compelling and attractive and we can clearly see their effect on Macbeth as it greatly contrasts to that of Banquo.

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However, Macbeth is not the only character who falls victim to

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Therefore Macbeth can be considered not responsible for his downfall due to the witches who sprouted and encouraged the idea of him becoming king. They knew Macbeth's weaknesses and easily took control of him. In this play, the witches were crucial in persuading Macbeth to kill King Duncan. Macbeth would not have developed the idea if he hadn't come across them. When the witches decided to tell Macbeth, which they aren’t supposed to, everything began.

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Macbeth is furious that his good friend suspects him of a killer so he orders 2 murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance, not only to keep his throne and name clean but also to keep the rest of the prophecies from coming true: Banquo’s sons becoming king

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Macbeth has been so far unaware of the witches poisoning his mind with prophecies and making him greedy. Macbeth’s ambitiousness and also recklessness with knowing his fate corrupted him as a king. Overall, Macbeth is at fault for his own actions after demanding to know more from the evil

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Macbeth keeps on ordering people to be killed, and at the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth was the one who wanted everyone to be killed, and she kept saying that Macbeth was “too weak” to kill King Duncan and here he is, killing people after people. “Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, till thou applaud the deed.” (3.2.45-46) Another example is towards the end of Act 5, Macbeth knows he is probably going to die, especially after the witches give him his three apparitions in Act 4. Macbeth knows that he is going to have to fight Malcolm and Macduff, especially after killing Macduff’s family, and his first apparition said “Macbeth!

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The most prominent example of this is him killing Banquo and trying to kill Fleance. In the first act Banquo knew about the prophecy because he was there with Macbeth when the witches told about it. “Your descendants will be kings, even you will not be. So hail Macbeth and Banquo.”

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They placed ideas into his head and sparked his unhealthy obsession with power, without the first prophecies Macbeth would have never gone down the path he did. These prophecies were told in a way that would manipulate Macbeth into committing crimes against those around him. The more and more he saw the witches and the more crimes he committed the worse his internal flaws became, with each murder and betrayal Macbeth lost a piece of his morality. The three witches are primarily responsible for the downfall of Macbeth because they sparked his obsession with power, manipulated him through their prophecies, and worsened his flaws.

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As an effect of being given the throne, Macbeth goes to the extent of murder to defend his reign. His loss of sanity and gain madness is transparent after this event because Macbeth previously believed that fate would steer this prophecy, but his obsession for power counters this and he starts to use free will to control his fate as King of Scotland. In conclusion, The effect of the Three Witches' prophecies led Macbeth to show no remorse and do anything in his will to retain

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In the shakespearean play, Macbeth, there are three witches that tell the main character, Macbeth, the prophecies of his future. Yet with all magic, like seeing the future, there are limits of power. The witches tell Macbeth about his future as a king, then later of his death. His downfall is unknowingly caused by himself and his own free-will choices. The witches do not tell Macbeth how he will come to fulfil the prophecy of king or death to which Macbeth accomplishes on his own.

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The first apparition tells him to beware Macduff but the second apparition tells him that no one born of a woman will be able to hurt him. These are contradictions. This allows Macbeth to make a choice on what he chooses to believe and act on. He believes the prophecy that is most in favor of what he hopes to accomplish, which is being king. He allows himself to be easily influenced by the second and only takes what he wants out of the third prophecy and doesn’t take the time to consider the possibilities of the first prophecy due to his ambition of being

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This is why the witches are the true villains, because they had planted murderous thoughts in Macbeth’s mind and then tricked him with illogical prophecies. With all this said, the witches’ absolute supernatural powers corrupted them

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The presence of the witches is the first supernatural element that Macbeth meets. One would assume that the witches could be blamed for influencing Macbeth with their prophecies. The witches are able to make Macbeth acknowledge his own dark desires. In Act I, Scene III, the three witches call out one after the other claiming “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, Thane of Glamis! /

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876 Words | 4 Pages

The witches played a colossal role in Macbeth’s downfall and ultimately, his death. Since the first part of the prophecy stated Macbeth as being the new Thane of Cawdor, he believed he could continue to become king as well. In knowing his prediction, Macbeth also realized that since the king was in good health, so he would have to kill the king himself. For the rest of his prophecy to come true he would have to kill the king for himself. “All hail, Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter!”

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The combination of this alongside the initial prophecies becoming true is what leads him to his false sense of security. The witches give Macbeth a second set of prophecies. These prophecies are twisted, into phrases that Macbeth wants to hear.

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