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Role Of Fear In Macbeth

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Foremost, humans are afraid to admit their desire for power, and once they are given the opportunity to gain power, the desire grows and feeds off of itself. During the first encounter with the weird sisters, the prophecy is shared that Macbeth will be king. However, Banquo is confused with Macbeth's reaction to the prophecy, asking ". . .why do you start and seem to fear/ Things that sound so fair?" (1.3.54-55). Macbeth is fearful of how the witches know his deepest desires to be king. If word were to get out about Macbeth's sinful thoughts and his desire for power, he believes that we would be ruined. Banquo notes the fear in Macbeth right away, showing how Macbeth is fighting against his ambitions the instant he hears the prophecy. Due to his fear, Macbeth tries to use force and aggressive words to convince the witches to speak: "Say from whence/ You owe this strange intelligence, . …show more content…

. Speak, I charge you" (1.3.78-81). After people learn about the desire for power one has, the fear of what they think of them may be translated into rage. Desire for power can also bring out a fearful confusion between right and wrong. After receiving the prophecy from the witches, Macbeth is dragged into a "fantastical" frame of mind (1.3.152). In order to be King of Scotland, Duncan cannot continue to rule, and the fastest way for this to happen is to kill him. Macbeth shifts between committing murder and letting the king live multiple times, however the mere thought of murdering Duncan "Shakes so [his] single state of man / That function is smothered in surmise,.

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