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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.
Macbeth Fate vs. Freewill What is the difference between fate and free will? In Shakespeare's play, Macbeth it is very debatable if fate or free will is what caused Macbeth to do what he did throughout the play. Macbeth had choices to kill or not to do the things he did. He chose to do the wrong thing every time knowing it only was benefiting him, but nothing else mattered to him.
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.
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.
During the early modern period, many people, especially the English, associated witches with darkness and evil. William Shakespeare included these popular beliefs of his time as compelling theatrical effects in his play to invoke suspense and a foreboding tone. In Shakespeare’s renowned play, Macbeth, supernatural beings, such as the Three Witches, control the destiny of the tale’s tragic hero, Macbeth, and lead him into a state of mental deterioration and eventual demise, exemplifying the theme one’s future is controlled by fate rather than free will. Witchcraft gained absolute notoriety after the coronation of James I, who condemned it as a crime punishable by death. Therefore, Shakespeare’s inclusion of the paranormal created an aura of eeriness, unnerving the audience.
Since Macbeth was set over four hundred years ago when almost everyone believed in God and went to church on Sunday, many people believed in fate. This doesn’t necessarily mean that people didn’t ‘believe’ in free will, it just means that most people acted on fate more so than free will. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth finds himself trying to differentiate between what is real and what is in his imagination. Since Lady Macbeth is the one who intentionally placed the dagger in a designated position with the intention of leading Macbeth to kill, this causes Macbeth to question his sanity: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?... or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from the heart-oppressed brain?“ (2.1.32-37).
Sometimes, we often go forward with certain choices that may leave an everlasting impact on us. Though, these results are debated on whether or not it is the fault of our free will, fate- or potentially both. As humans, we may try to excuse ourselves from whatever we had caused, whereas it is natural for others to own up for their mistakes. With Macbeth, there is an exploration of whether fate, free will, or both played a part in the journey of Macbeth’s life. There had been a mass debate that Macbeth was not certainly at fault, for it was the prophecies and Lady Macbeth that had pushed Macbeth over the edge.
The nature of fate and free will has puzzled philosophers for thousands of years. Some argue that there is no free will and everything is predestined, while others argue that humans make their own choices. Stephen Hawking once said, “I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.” Even though people may believe in fate, they don’t believe in it enough to trust it fully. The playwright Shakespeare explores this theme of fate vs free will in multiple plays, one of which includes Macbeth.
This fate and option of free will, is seen throughout the play yet shows itself prominent in Macbeth. With a strong presence throughout the book fate and free will finds its way in every aspect of the story. The first depiction of fate and free will in the play is the interaction between the witches and Macbeth. This instance is the start of the paradoxical path the story follows. The witches tell Macbeth his fate is to be king and that no man born of woman will be able to harm his life.
Fate is a prediction of someone’s life and the internal and external forces playing a role in that person’s destiny. In Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth”, Macbeth is a victim of his prescribed destiny. Three witches, the people closest to Macbeth, and most importantly, his own ego and actions, determine his prescribed destiny. Three witches appear to Macbeth after King Duncan finds out he is betrayed by the Thane of Cawdor.
Macbeth, ultimately, is responsible for his crimes. Shakespeare’s idea of free will associated with fate and destiny is a common theme. Notably, before assessing Macbeth’s responsibility for his crimes, there must be validation as to if Macbeth has free will or a way to change his fate. One example is the choice of actions between Macbeth and Banquo.
Have you heard of fate? Do you believe in fate? Well in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, fate plays an important role in Macbeth’s life. Fate is something that unavoidably befalls a person.
Fate Versus Free Will In Macbeth Fate versus free will is a theme well known throughout literature and in life as well. Is life controlled by fate, or are people’s lives dependent on the choices they make? In Macbeth, Shakespeare emphasizes the idea of fate vs. freewill, indicating that both elements play a role in the lives of individuals, as well as society as a whole. The main character, Macbeth’s, life is a combination of fate and his conscious decisions. The witches in Macbeth can control the fates of many, but only to a point.
Reasons why fate is a factor to the play and how shakespeare uses fate as a strategy to create s havoc and dreadful story for the reader, is by having the three witches tell macbeth his suppose fate. This is important because if Macbeth doesn’t know he is to be “ Thane of Glamis!... Thane of Cawdor!” (I, iii, 355 ) like the witches say then Macbeth wouldn’t even dare to harm the king without reasons. But analysing the quote he is fated to be the next king which Macbeth believe his fate and at the same time struggle to even through away his loyalty to Duncan so he can be the next ruler.
and obtains the title, which trigger an arrogant and self-absorbed thinking leading to madness and finally, death. The play seems to bring up the question, whether Macbeth is fully responsible of his own destiny, or under control of fate. In the first glance, the play seems to take rather fatalistic direction, meaning that we are powerless to make decisions as they are inevitably determined by supernatural power (Hugh 1)) It is due to the presence of supernatural forces throughout the whole play that systematically fulfills the prophecy; therefore the witches represent the idea of fate in the play. However, Shakespeare seems to rather intertwine fate with free will and perhaps even promotes the second philosophy as the play evolves.
