William Shakespeare once wrote, “Signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine on all deservers” (1.4, 47-48). Like stars, certain people deserve to be rewarded and others do not. In the tragedy Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth is a noble general under King Duncan of Scotland. He and his friend Banquo are heroes when they defeat two armies led by the rebel Macdonwald. However, when Macbeth encounters the three witches during a journey through a moor, he believes in the prophecy they tell him. In order to become king and maintain his status, he kills his closest friends. People become aware of his killings and eventually Macbeth’s enemy, Macduff, kills Macbeth. Throughout the novel, fate and time play an important role to reveal Macbeth’s
…show more content…
Because of his ambitious nature, he falls to his tragic death. In the beginning of the novel, the three witches prophesize how Macbeth will become the Thane of Glamis, the Thane of Cawdor, and eventually the king of Scotland. Soon after, Ross, a Scottish noble, tells Macbeth that he has become Thane of Cawdor. Once Macbeth knows that he will eventually become king, he steps aside and contemplates if he should kill Duncan, the king. He states, “This supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good. My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man that function is smothered in surmise and nothing is but what is not”(1.4.144, 154-155). He knows that committing an act of murder is not ethical because he sees that it would scare him so much that he would not be able to function. He even says that the presence of the three witches is not ethical and cannot be good. Then, Macbeth states, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me” (1.4.158). When he contemplates about killing Duncan, the audience can see that Macbeth is ambitious for power and is tantalized over the witches’ prophecy. …show more content…
Overall, Shakespeare uses this motif to comment how time is uncontrollable because people cannot determine their future and change their past actions. In act three, scene one, Macbeth fears that Banquo’s children will be the future kings of Scotland and not his own. He decides to have the three murderers kill Banquo and Fleance in order to have his children rule Scotland (3.1, 80). Macbeth’s actions to prevent Banquo’s fate indicates how he is fighting the future in order to reach his goals. Throughout the novel, Macbeth does not have any children in order to create a dynasty. He should know that without children, his reign will end at some point in time. However, he cannot accept his fate because of his growing ambition to have power. He wants more and therefore, he has to fight for a future that is more fulfilling to him. In addition, Macbeth’s thoughtless actions have made him struggle to overcome for what he has done in the past. After Macbeth murders King Duncan, he fears that he will never sleep again. He declares, “Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep’, sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care, the death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, balm of hurt minds” (2.2.32-36). When he states how he hears a voice cries, this indicates that Macbeth has guilt over
Because of his ambitious nature, he falls to his tragic death. In the beginning of the novel, the three witches prophesize how Macbeth will become the Thane of Glamis, the Thane of Cawdor, and eventually the king of Scotland. Soon after, Ross, a Scottish noble, tells Macbeth that he has become Thane of Cawdor. Once Macbeth knows that he will eventually become king, he steps aside and contemplates if he should kill Duncan, the king. He states, “This supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good. My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man that function is smothered in surmise and nothing is but what is not”(1.4.144, 154-155). He knows that committing an act of murder is not ethical because he sees that it would scare him so much that he would not be able to function. He even says that the presence of the three witches is not ethical and cannot be good. Then, Macbeth states, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me” (1.4.158). When he contemplates about killing Duncan, the audience can see that Macbeth is ambitious for power and is tantalized over the witches’ prophecy. …show more content…
Overall, Shakespeare uses this motif to comment how time is uncontrollable because people cannot determine their future and change their past actions. In act three, scene one, Macbeth fears that Banquo’s children will be the future kings of Scotland and not his own. He decides to have the three murderers kill Banquo and Fleance in order to have his children rule Scotland (3.1, 80). Macbeth’s actions to prevent Banquo’s fate indicates how he is fighting the future in order to reach his goals. Throughout the novel, Macbeth does not have any children in order to create a dynasty. He should know that without children, his reign will end at some point in time. However, he cannot accept his fate because of his growing ambition to have power. He wants more and therefore, he has to fight for a future that is more fulfilling to him. In addition, Macbeth’s thoughtless actions have made him struggle to overcome for what he has done in the past. After Macbeth murders King Duncan, he fears that he will never sleep again. He declares, “Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep’, sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care, the death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, balm of hurt minds” (2.2.32-36). When he states how he hears a voice cries, this indicates that Macbeth has guilt over