Fate and Actions in Shakespeare's Macbeth Essay Example

A person’s destiny is not dictated by fate; instead, one’s actions lead one to their future. The play Macbeth, written by the brilliant playwright William Shakespeare is about a Scottish nobleman lusting for the throne. As the centuries pass, one question remains: Is Macbeth’s future determined by fate or actions? Additionally, it is apparent in the story that Macbeth chose to act of his own free will after receiving the prophecies. Furthermore, Macbeth is entirely in charge of which individual lives and dies. In the play, how Macbeth thinks, acts and executes his ploys gives excellent insight into how his own free will determines Macbeth’s future. Several instances illustrate that his actions determine Macbeth’s fate throughout the play. Through the prophecies given to Macbeth, the murders committed by Macbeth, and the mindset Macbeth has, that free will determines Macbeth’s future.

The prophecies given to Macbeth did not set Macbeth’s future in stone; instead, it was his own free will to act on them which determined his future. Thus, when the witches meet up with their leader, Hecate states:

“Have I not reason, beldams as you are, /Saucy and overbold? How did you dare/To trade and traffic with Macbeth/In riddles and affairs of death;/And I, the mistress of your charms,…As by the strength of their illusion/Shall draw him on to his confusion:/He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear/He hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace and fear:/And you all know, security/Is mortals’ chiefest enemy” (Shakespeare 3.5.2-6, 28-33).

This quote shows that the prophecies given by the witches in the first act were nothing more than empty words with no meaning behind them. This illustrates that Macbeth’s future was never set in stone when the witches first gave him his prophecies. Moreover, this further demonstrates that Macbeth would never have gone down the path he did if he had just disregarded the predictions and known that the best-case scenario would be that Macbeth would become king if he did nothing. Not only that, he chose to act on the prophecies using his own free will, taking matters into his own hands by removing Duncan from the picture. Moreover, the witches never conveyed to Macbeth that the prophecies would require that he kill Duncan to become a king; however, he decided of his own free will and Lady Macbeth. Ultimately, this quote illustrates that Macbeth’s future was not determined by fate, as the witches’ prophecies were nothing more than trickery and empty messages that did not seal Macbeth’s fate.

Through the witches’ prophecies, Macbeth begins to picture himself on the throne, which leads him down a path determined by his actions and decisions. After Malcolm is crowned king by Duncan, Macbeth ponders about how he will become king if Duncan has an heir; then Macbeth states, “The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step/On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap,/For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;/ Let not light see my black and deep desires:/The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be,/Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.” (1.4.55-60).In this quotation, Macbeth’s greed and ambition manifest themselves, which are clear indications that Macbeth is acting on the prophecies given by the witches rather than allowing his supposed fate to determine his future. Personification is used in the sentence, “On which I must fall, or else o’erleap,/For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;/ Let not light see my black and deep desires” (1.4.56-58). This quote further demonstrates that Macbeth begins to think about what he must do to fulfill his evil desires. However, if an individual is causing specific affairs to occur, then that individual’s future is not determined by fate. Furthermore, the Oxford dictionary defines fate as “The development of events beyond a person’s control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power,” which contradicts the statement that Macbeth’s future is determined by fate. As stated above, it is clear that the prophecies did not seal Macbeth’s fate but instead put the picture of him becoming king in his head, which eventually led him to murder his comrades.

The murder of Macbeth’s comrades, Duncan, and Banquo, which affects the future of Macbeth, was committed by Macbeth of his own free will. Just before the murder of Duncan, Macbeth has a soliloquy thinking about the possible outcomes of killing Duncan, and he states, “Is this a dagger which I see before me,/The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee./I have thee not, and yet I see thee still./Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible/To feeling as to sight, or art thou but/A dagger of the mind, a false creation” (2.1.34-39). In this quotation, the death of Duncan, one of the most significant impacts on the future of Macbeth, is clearly shown to have been committed through Macbeth’s own free will. It is demonstrated that Macbeth sees what appears to be a dagger; it is there in his mind. But not there, in reality; the sword shows that Macbeth’s most profound and darkest desires tell him that he should kill Duncan. Additionally, when Macbeth sees the blade, Macbeth does not look away or is hesitant one bit. Instead, he grabs the dagger forcefully, showing his will and determination to kill Duncan.

Similarly, the murder of Banquo, which also has a substantial impact on Macbeth’s future, is also carried out by Macbeth of his own free will. After being crowned king, Macbeth recalls that Banquo’s descendants would still become kings; he exclaims, “No son of mine succeeding. If’t be so,/ For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mine;/For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered…To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings.” (3.1.69-71,75) In this quotation, Macbeth’s hostility toward Banquo is shown as he is frustrated that he has gone through the trouble of killing Duncan to have Banquo’s descendants rule instead of his descendants. Of course, this frustration results in Macbeth plotting to murder Banquo as he desperately attempts to hold on to the throne. Additionally, Macbeth’s ambition to hold onto his throne even after he passes is a clear indication of free will. Therefore, the death of Banquo, a significant influence on Macbeth’s future, is plotted and carried out through Macbeth’s own free will. Consequently, it adds to the fact that Macbeth’s own free will determines his fate. As shown by the murders of Duncan and Banquo, Macbeth’s future is determined by his own free will. Likewise, Macbeth’s mindset demonstrates this as well.

The mindset and the ideals of Macbeth distinctly illustrate that his own free will determines the path Macbeth goes down. After the murderers deliver the news that Banquo is dead, Macbeth reflects on his actions and sighs, “I am in blood, Stepped in so far that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er. Strange things I have in head that will to hand, Which must be acted ere they may be scanned.” (3.4.139-143). This quotation exhibits how Macbeth feels after committing another gruesome murder. Macbeth admits that he has committed a surplus of sinful deeds. Returning to his former valiant self would be as much of a hassle as continuing his tyrannic path. As shown, even Macbeth knows that through his actions, he has caused himself to become stuck on one path, which he is only able to move forward.

Macbeth’s lack of expertise in making decisions demonstrates that Macbeth’s actions are the cause of his future. Once more, when the news of Banquo’s death is conveyed to Macbeth, he decides that he will be turning to the witches for advice, stating, “I will tomorrow —/And betimes I will — to the weird sisters../More shall they speak for now I am bent to know/By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good, /All causes shall give way.” (3.4.135-139) This quotation exhibits Macbeth deciding on his own that he would ask the witches, whom he had only spoken to once, for information about his “future.” Additionally, Macbeth believes in the witches and trusts them because he believes that their prophecies are genuine; however, he never realizes that he was the one fulfilling the prophecies. Through killing the Thane of Cawdor and Duncan, he fulfilled them by himself; the witches never assisted him with anything, yet he chose to trust them. Moreover, Macbeth decides to trust them of his own free will, and as seen in the play, the trust put into the witches is one of the factors which led Macbeth to his bleak future. Macbeth’s mindset verifies that his own free will controls Macbeth’s future.

Free will is shown to shape Macbeth’s future through the predictions provided to him, the murders he commits, and the mindset he possesses. Throughout the story, the so-called prophecies were given to Macbeth to provide him with the confidence to carry out his will time and time again. The former comrades of Macbeth are just thrown out like rubbish when they provide no use to Macbeth. How Macbeth executes his ploys reveals how Macbeth’s own free choice decides his future. The discussion of fate or free will has always been an in-depth and fascinating topic. Throughout the play, Macbeth repeatedly creates spontaneous and poor decisions out of his own free will, which leads him down his path to demise. Macbeth’s actions, decisions, attitudes, and mentality determine his dreadful grim end.