Macbeth
Free will is the idea that someone can make whatever decision they want to even though they have had outside influences. In the story, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, many characters struggle to keep their free will because the have so many outside experiences and influences affecting their lives. In this story, the characters that keep their free will, and are influenced by the outside world are usually women. The men usually don 't keep their free will in this case. Characters like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are good examples on how gender plays a role on people having free will or not.
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. Another way Macbeth was manipulated was by his wife,Lady Macbeth. After
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When Macbeth hears a voice cry “sleep no more”(Mac.2.2.33), it was the beginning of many of his illusions. He suffered from guilt after killing King Duncan and wasn’t able to sleep. Macbeth goes on to have more illusions throughout the story such as when he saw the bloody ghost of Banquo. Macbeth was the only one that could see Banquo, making him think that “the table’s full”(Mac.3.4.46) when they went to sit down for dinner. Macbeth continues to see the ghost of Banquo throughout dinner causing him to have sudden and unexplained outbursts.Lady Macbeth tries to explain her husband’s odd behavior by saying “My lord is often thus, and hath been from his youth”(Mac 3.4.53-54). She does this so people don 't grow suspicious and question what Macbeth is saying. Macbeth loses his free will because he ses illusions and lives in a false