Outside Forces In Macbeth

In William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, characters are influencing each other as outside forces to fulfill their desires in extreme ways. Overall in the play, Macbeth changes from a loyal and courageous character to an evil and violent person due to the outside forces persuading and influencing him. Gradually, these outside forces guide his thoughts to become over confident and evil in which ultimately leads to his own death. Through the play, Macbeth’s evil actions is a result of outside forces in which these outside forces encourage him to commit evil actions to fulfill his desires and they act as factors that change his thoughts and characteristics. In summary, Lady Macbeth, Banquo and the prophecies acts as outside forces that persuade

To begin, Banquo is along with Macbeth when Macbeth’s prophecies. Banquo’s existence at that scene already became a threat to Macbeth because firstly, Banquo asks for his prophecies and secondly, Banquo knows about macbeth’s prophecies. Since Banquo is called to be the ‘father of a king’, Macbeth begins to fear in which he is fear of Banquo’s children taking over his power. When Macbeth is fearful of Banquo and says ‘to be thus is nothing./ But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo/ Stick deep and his royalty of nature/...when first they put the name of king upon me/ And bode them speak to him/ Then, prophet like. / They hailed him father to a line of kings. /Only for them; and mine eternal jewel/ Given to the common enemy of noon, /To make them rings, the seeds of Banquo king!/ Rather than so, come fate in the list” (III.I.50-73). Since then, Macbeth knows Banquo’s prophecies while they become a threat to Macbeth. At the beginning of the play Banquo is given the prophecies that his children will be the king, therefore, this becomes a threat toward Macbeth. This illustrates that in order to maintain power, he would have to kill Banquo and his children which Banquo acts an outside force that guide Macbeth to continue his evil deeds. Moreover, Banquo is described as a great and wise character throughout the play, he is also given prophecies that he will become a ‘greater’ king than Macbeth.

At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth begins to encourage Macbeth to commit evil actions for power and fulfill all prophecies. After the witches give me prophecies to Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is determined to make these prophecies true by controlling and encouraging Macbeth to commit crimes. When Macbeth is hesitating about committing crimes, Lady Macbeth argues and says “...From this time/ Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard/ To be the same in thine own act and valor/ As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that/ And live as a coward in their own esteem/ letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would” (I.VII.38-44). From this point, Macbeth has two of his three prophecies true and Lady Macbeth encourages him to strive for his last prophecy which is to become the king. When Macbeth is hesitating about committing evil crimes and fulfilling his prophecies. Lady Macbeth always acts as an advisor and questions him about his desires and persuade him to fulfill the prophecies to achieve his desires. She also challenges his love toward her if he is not following her opinions in which is to kill Duncan and take over his power. From this point, Lady Macbeth is demonstrated as a driving force of Macbeth’s evil actions and she encourages him to achieve power using evil and violent actions. After that, Lady Macbeth’s