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Macbeth Fate Vs Free Will Research Paper

948 Words4 Pages

Does a person have full control of their destiny? Or is something else controlling them? The concept of fate versus free will has vexed and intrigued the human race for centuries. William Shakespeare, an English poet and playwright, took a particular interest in fate versus free will. It is a concept that he often explores in his plays, and it appears in everything from All’s Well That Ends Well to Macbeth. By eEstablishing the witches as fate at the beginning of the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare attributes Macbeth’s downfall to fate as the witches and their prophecies drive Macbeth to his doom. Shakespeare establishes the witches as fate and clarifies their influence as they interfere with Macbeth’s attempt to exert his own free will. The three Weird Sisters, who are introduced in the opening scene of the play, originate from the three Fates commonly seen throughout literature and …show more content…

The words of the witches prophecy come back to Macbeth as he is contemplating the murder, “[the Weird Sisters]… put a barren scepter in my grip,/thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand” (3.1.67-68). The unlineal hand that Macbeth speaks of is Banquo. The use of the word “wrenched” indicates that the crown will be unwillingly and violently ripped from Macbeth by Banquo. Macbeth does not want Banquo to have the crown, so he has Banquo killed, going against what Macbeth believes the Weird Sisters prophecy to mean. Macbeth then decides that he must visit the witches to learn about what his actions will cause, “I will tomorrow to the Weird Sisters./More shall they speak, for now I am bent to know/ by the worst means the worst” (3.4.164-166). Macbeth’s visit to the Weird Sisters will seal his fate and downfall. In an attempt to go against fate, Macbeth kills Banquo, all the while playing into the Weird Sisters waiting

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He tries everything he can to rid himself of the witches' forecasts. He dispatches assassins to kill Banquo and his son as soon as he recalls the prophecy that Banquo will be greater than him. When the three witches reveal their final prophecies, he feels safe. Macbeth's murder of the king exemplifies his attempt to

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665 Words | 3 Pages

As he ponders on the fortunes of the Weird Sisters and their accuracy, he wonders if Macbeth compromised them: “Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,/As the weird women promised, and I fear/ Thou play’dst most foully for’t” (3.1.1-3). However, as he starts to gather his thoughts, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, as well as others enter, interrupting him. Even though he suspects foul play in this situation and has numerous opportunities to speak up, he decides not to tell anyone, making him in some sense responsible for the tragedies of Macbeth’s reign of terror. Banquo later pays for his mistake with his life, when Macbeth kills

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The sisters foretell that Macbeth will be the king and that Banquo’s heirs will also become kings. This prophecy galvanized Macbeth and with some encouragement from his wife, Lady Macbeth, he kills the king and secures the crown. Macbeth’s regicide sends

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Conversations from the witches that involved them mentioning “Killing swine” characterized these witches as exactly what all witches were thought to be, which was evil. Shakespeare wants the reader to draw the connection that the prophecy that Macbeth became a servant to and obeyed was created with the intention to manipulate Macbeth and had Macbeth fought against this and did not feel the need to chase this power like Banquo did

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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.

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850 Words | 4 Pages

Banquo was once Macbeth’s fellow warrior and closest friend, but as the paranoia of being overthrown begins rotting his mind, he becomes obsessively afraid him. He knows that Banquo understands him, that terrifies him more than anything. When the weird sisters show Macbeth an apparition

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546 Words | 3 Pages

Banquo, having heard the prophecies of the witches, is uneasy. He has a “ heavy summons” that “lies like lead upon me.” Banquo is describing how fatigued he is, and despite this, he has the inability to sleep. Macbeth has stripped him of his rest and safety. Macbeth then enters the scene, and Banquo tells him he “dreamt last night of the three weird sisters,” showing that instead of peace, Banquo's mind was filled with uncertainty and fear.

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Power Of Thoughts On Fate Against Free Will The power of our thoughts on our fate and free will is a topic that has been explored in literature and philosophy. Thoughts have an unimaginable power over us, making us act according to our ideas about "good" and "evil." Each of us has a life written by a superior capable of controlling each of us. Or is it that our thoughts have always been able to take the reins, and every situation in our life is under our control?

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1389 Words | 6 Pages

Following Macbeth hearing Banquo’s suspicions about who murdered Duncan, Macbeth explains, “Our fears in Banquo / Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature / Reigns that which would be fear’d” (3.1.50-52). To put it differently, Macbeth voices his concern about Banquo’s ability to overtake him so that his own sons can become king more quickly. Shakespeare uses a metaphor to compare fears to thorns that “stick deep.” While keeping the witches’ prophecy in mind, Macbeth comes to terms with the possibility of Banquo taking power from him, and he knows he must do something about it; his solution is getting others to murder Banquo and his son.

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479 Words | 2 Pages

Macbeth, believing Banquo and his son are the only ones standing in the way of a long and prosperous reign, hires two murders to kill his best friend. Macbeth manipulates the murders, who are at first unwilling to commit the crime, by convincing them that Banquo is the enemy. In Act III, Macbeth whispers “That it was he, in the times past, which held you so under fortune, which you thought had been our innocent self.... And are you so gospeled to pray for this good man and for this issue, whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave and beggared yours forever?” (3.1.85-86,98-101)

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After achieving the title of the King of Scotland, Macbeth wants to secure his position as the king and desires to inherit the Scottish throne to his ancestors. His aim was showed in “To be thus is nothing, /But to be safely thus” (III, i, 52-3). This quote reveals that Macbeth not only wanted to become the king but also wants to secure his position as the King of Scotland for the welfare of his upcoming generation. This reveals Macbeth’s is implying the witches’ prophecies; as long Banquo’s sons live, Macbeth’s throne would not be able to inherit down to his ancestors. As the play progresses, Macbeth’s hires murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance, as represented through, “Banquo, thy soul’s flight, /If

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Macbeth views himself as an agent of fate, and any wrongdoing he does, he does is in the name of fate. As the play continues the faster he acts in regards to violence starting with the killing of king Duncan down to Banquo. At the beginning of the play Macbeth is a respected servant to the king, a loyal husband, and an unwavering subject to the king. The witches first' predictions draw out his evil/ambitious nature, however he battles within himself in regards to killing king Duncan. By assaulting his masculinity, lady Macbeth persuades him to kill Duncan and furthermore head down the path of evil.

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1006 Words | 5 Pages

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.

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781 Words | 4 Pages

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.

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Yet after a while, Banquo and Macbeth talk about the three weird sisters prophecies Banquo says to stop about the “cursed thoughts” (2:1,8). Macbeth was told he will be king, but in order for him to be king, he must kill Duncan. Macbeth is now driven mad and tries to not remember the

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