Macbeth Fate Vs Free Will

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. Shakespeare uses multiple characters to demonstrate this theme, with Macbeth being the most prominent. Macbeth’s varying levels of confidence lead to his increasing reliance

As he is on his way to kill Duncan, he meets Banquo and says, “I think not of them. Yet when we can entreat an hour to serve, we would spend it in some words when that business, If you would grant the time” (II.i.21-23). Macbeth chooses not to speak to Banquo over the prophecy of the witches. At this time Macbeth’s confidence is lowering because he feels conflicted about killing Duncan. Speaking with Banquo would most likely persuade him not to kill Duncan, and Banquo would notice the guilt on his face. Macbeth’s poor confidence pressures him to not discuss his fated prophecy, showing he is still clinging to his free will. However, Macbeth’s confidence begins to lower even more as he creeps closer to Duncan’s bedchamber. Macbeth begins to hallucinate and cries, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee… Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going...It is the bloody business which informs thus to mine eyes… While I threat he lives. Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives” (II.i.44-55). Macbeth hallucinates a dagger and believes that he is doing so because of the murder he is about to commit. He also says that he must hurry to kill Duncan before his courage cools. The way Macbeth reacts after seeing the dagger makes it seem as if he has no choice in following the dagger, which demonstrates how strongly he is relying on fate. He is so unsure and conflicted about the murder, that he is hallucinating a dagger to help him follow through with it. Without his wholehearted reliance on fate, Macbeth would not have been able to murder Duncan. Overall, Macbeth’s confidence continues to decrease which shifts his reliance on free will to reliance on