Ericka Woodall

5th hour British Literature

Mrs. Lisa Smith

10/15/09


Macbeth chose his own fate not destiny. In the story “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare a man's fate is decided by three witches. The witches did not predict his fate but by telling him the prophecies he believed that what they said was actually going to happen. Macbeth then took on his own destiny by believing those events would actually happen. The witches did not predict the future, they caused Macbeth to think about what they said so much that he made what they said reality. He would not have even fathomed killing Duncan if the witches would not have put the idea of him being king into his head. It is a struggle for Macbeth to stay king because he is a tyrant, not because of what the witches have foretold. Fate is not real, your future is not affected by anything but yourself.

The witch's prophecies came true because Macbeth caused them to. He had them in his mind so much that he thought of ways to make them become reality. The witches said he would be king. “First witch: all hail Macbeth! Hail thee, thane of Glamis! Second witch: all hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter.” (act I, scene II, 59) After hearing these words Macbeth then believed that he would become king, and by hearing those words he believed it was his destiny to become king, and he would do anything to achieve that. When Lady Macbeth suggests Macbeth should kill Duncan he takes it into account because he feels it would make the witch's prophecies come true. “Lady Macbeth: Was the hope drunk Wherein you dress'd yourself? Hath it slept since? At what it did so freely? From this time Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valor As tho art in desire? Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting “I dare not” wait upon “i would” Like the poor cat I' the adage?” ( act I, scene VII, 39) Lady Macbeth attacks Macbeth's pride as a man in getting him to kill Duncan to make himself king. Having being told these things Macbeth killed Duncan because he thought it was his fate.

The witches tell Macbeth a prophecy that Bonquo's heirs will be kings. Macbeth believes the witches because he believes they foresaw him becoming king, when in reality he caused the event. When Macbeth hears of Bonquo's heirs taking the throne he gets together a group murderers to ambush Bonquo and his son, Fleance, whom escaped. “Macbeth: 'Tis better thee without than he within. Is he dispatch'd? Murderer: My lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him.” (act III, scene IV, 15) Macbeth killed his friend Banquo out of fear of losing the throne. Seeing as the first prophecies the witches foretold became true it was easier for him to trust them a second time. With Banquo gone Macbeth no longer feels fear of losing his place as king. “Macbeth: Thanks for that. There the grown serpent lies; the worm that's fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed, No teeth for the present. Get thee gone. Tomorrow We'll hear ourselves again.” (act III, scene IV, 31) Destiny did not determine the death of Banquo, but Macbeth changed his fate out of fear of losing power.

Macbeth struggles to stay king because of he is a tyrant. He begins in the story as loyal and trustworthy to Duncan, but then he began to be convinced that the prophecies are true when he is hailed Thane of Cawdor by Angus and Ross. “Ross: And for an earnest of a greater honor, He bade me, from him, call the Thane of Cawdor. In which addition, hail, most worthy Thane, for it is thine. Bonqou: What, can the devil speak true? Macbeth: The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me in borrow'd robes?” (act I, scene III, 118) Macbeth does not like the idea of killing Duncan. He then tells Lady Macbeth about the witch's prophecies and she likes the idea of herself being queen next to Macbeth as he is king. She convinces him to go through with the murder. He feels guilty at the beginning about murdering his friend Duncan, but power and greed make him a tyrant later on in the play. “Macbeth: Things bad begun make string themselves by ill. So, prithee, go with me.” (act III, scene III, 60) Macbeth tries covering the murder of Duncan by killing more and more. This power breeds evil within him.

Macbeth's future was not determined by anything but himself, and his decisions. Him becoming king was so important that the only way he believed to achieve it would be to kill King Duncan. Once Macbeth is king, he becomes power hungry and kills Bonquo out of fear of losing that power. He then struggles to stay king because of his evil ways and is defeated by Macduff because of himself being a tyrant. If people are told something will happen they are easy to manipulate into doing those things because they believe they are destined to achieve their goals. Relying on destiny led Macbeth to his fall.