Macbeth Manipulation Essay

Sometimes, we don’t get to control our own actions. They are sometimes already predestined. If our actions are predestined, then trying to change them will only prove that prophecy to come true. This is evident during Act 1 Scene 3 of Macbeth, where Banquo and Macbeth are meeting the witches. Banquo says, “Good, sir, why do you start, and seem to fear things that do sound so fair?” (1.3.51) When Banquo notices Macbeth’s excitement about the prophecy he is told, Banquo can’t help but be a bit nervous. He realizes that there is a chance Macbeth could be king. By acknowledging this, he recognizes that Macbeth is going to try and do everything in his power to become king now, ultimately letting fate control his actions. Furthermore, after the witches’

If he takes it to heart and believes it’s true, he will keep going down that path of being manipulated and trying to change that future. This manipulation will control his actions into trying to find a way out of that future, but it only leads him to being controlled more and subjected to fate. This is also shown after the witches tell Macbeth of this new prophecy. “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, without my stir” (1.3.144). Supposedly, if this is fate for Macbeth, he won’t have to put in any effort to become king. We can see that later in the story, however, his actions are controlled by this prophecy and ends up killing Duncan to “push” the prophecy

If you don’t have power, some believe you are never truly safe from others, and some tyrants will think that having power over an entire nation will keep you safe because others will listen to you. This is evident when Macbeth is talking about his concerns of being King. “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo stick deep” (3.1.48). Even though he has power over his entire nation, he can’t help but be concerned about Banquo, and him getting in the way of Macbeth’s power. He still thinks Banquo is noble and clever, which makes him fearful. If he is fearful, then that still gives him some sort of power and influence over other people. This is why Macbeth has to kill him later so that Macbeth doesn’t somehow lose that power. However, when you have all of the power in the country, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you are happy. This can be seen in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s conversation, when Macbeth says, “Naught's had, all's spent, where our desire is got without content” (3.2.6). In this conversation, they realize that they aren’t content with what they have with this newfound power. In fact, it has made Macbeth paranoid and greedy due to this power. Even when they’ve put all of their efforts into gaining influence, they found that it hasn’t made them happy. This shows that even when you have