FREE ESSAY ON FATE OF MACBETH

FATE OF MACBETH

FATE OF MACBETH
Although Macbeth does take actions that lead to his downfall, I believe that he is not 
totally responsible for what happens. Although he takes the actions, he would not have
done this 
if the witches had not told him that he would be king in Act I Scene iii. I believe that
it is the 
witches are more responsible for the downfall of Macbeth. The witches introduce
Macbeths's 
fate. 
At the beginning of the play they plan to meet with Macbeth and they say Fair is foul, 
and foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air. This line shows foreshadowing; it
makes 
the audience know that something unfair and evil will occur. When they meet Macbeth, they

greet him first as Thane of Glamis, then as Thane of Cawdor and then as king. The moment

Macbeth hears this, he is confused but curious why these witches had called him king.
After he 
knows that he became Thane of Cawdor he believes that sooner or later he will be king.
The 
three witches suggested his destiny. Macbeth's goal was not to become king until the
witches 
made him believe it was his destiny. 
In the play, Macbeths destiny was paved out by the witches. Destiny is not something 
that can be changed. A person has control of his/her destiny. Macbeth's destiny was
suggested by 
the witches, he listened to their suggestions and followed them. 
In Act I, Scene iii, the witches tell Macbeth that he is Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor

and that he shalt be king hereafter. Immediately after hearing the witches prophecies
that he 
will be king, Macbeth thinks that he must kill the current king to become king himself. I
believe 
that before hearing the witch's prophecies, Macbeth had never in his wildest dreams
thought of 
killing King Duncan to become king himself. 
In Act IV, Scene iii, Macbeth meets again with the witches, who tell him through 
apparitions, Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the Thane of Fife. In the

following scene, we see murderers sent by Macbeth enter Macduff's castle and slaughter
both 
Lady Macduff and her son. The witches are also responsible for this murder, because once
again, 
the witches put ideas in Macbeth's head. Although the witches can be held responsible for
the 
murder of King Duncan, Lady Macduff and her son, they cannot be held responsible for the

murder of Banquo. The witches only speak of Banquo when Macbeth meets with them for the 
second time in Act IV, Scene i, after Banquo has already been killed. This murder is the

complete responsibility of Macbeth, because the witches had absolutely nothing to do with
it and 
it was only Macbeth's own suspicions that brought him to have Banquo killed. If Macbeth
had 
not taken action to fulfill the witch's prophecies, he would probably have been happily
living as 
the thane of Glamis and Cawdor at the end of the play. 
Macbeth is not controlled by fate; instead he is the one who decided to listen and wants
to 
meet the witches again. He thought about becoming king, but was not totally sure of it.
His wife 
controlled him in the decisions he made so that these could benefit her, encouraging this

decision. Macbeth controlled his life when he does not want to kill his king. After he
talks to 
Banquo the day he was supposed to kill the king, destiny enters in his life. Macbeth sees
a dagger 
and imagines that it is a sign for him to kill Duncan. 
Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? As this which now 
I draw...And such instrument I was to use. Macbeth feels as if the dagger was placed as
well as 
its handle toward him because it was meant for him to become king. If the witches had not
met 
Macbeth, he would not have become king. His ambition grew more after they told him he
would 
become king of Scotland. The witches seem to have been planning on meeting him because
they 
knew he was going to the impossible in order to become king. If the witches had never met

Macbeth, he would remain being Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth would have continued to be loyal

and would have not betrayed God, the King, Scotland and himself. Macbeth would not have 
acted paranoid and see his life as an empty meaningless charade. 
Macbeth is filled with different issues that were of great interest during Shakespearean

times. Turning your back towards the king must have been a shock to the audience as well
as the 
death of him. Fate was another thing that captured the audience's attention because it is
a 
supernatural force that can not always be controlled. These two subjects were the most
appealing 
and most obvious throughout the story. It could be said that he was responsible for his
own 
downfall. However, Macbeth only took action after hearing the witch's prophecies, so I
believe 
that Macbeth cannot be held totally responsible for what happens to himself. I believe
that if 
Macbeth had never heard the witch's prophecies, he would have lived a happy, full life,
and 
perhaps he would have become king anyway.