The question people often ask after seeing Shakespeare’s Macbeth is why Macbeth falls into such depths of evil. It almost seems as if Macbeth is a pawn of fate, with influences his choices, like the witches and his wife pushing him towards murder and evil. However, in reality, Macbeth is not a pawn of fate. Although, he freely chooses to let fateful factors influence him to murder and then chooses to keep on murdering. Although the witches and Lady Macbeth influenced Macbeth, he ultimately acts as an agent of free will.
The witches and Lady Macbeth push Macbeth to kill the king, but this influence does not deny the existence of Macbeth’s own faults and responsibility. The witches suggest that Macbeth will be king, but they never specify how he would become king, Macbeth assumed he would have to kill the current king. The witches first tell him he is Thane of Glamis and he will be Thane of Cawdor and king later. Macbeth eventually comes to trust the witches when he finds out they were right about him being Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth then begins to believe that he will be king. “Two truths are told, / As happy prologues to the swelling act / Of the imperial theme” (I.). Macbeth …show more content…
Lady Macbeth acts as the “spur to prick the sides of [Macbeth’s] intent [to murder Duncan ]” (Ivii 16). She emotionally manipulates Macbeth into killing Duncan (King). She accuses Macbeth of cowardice, saying “Wouldnst thou have that / Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, / And live a cowards in thine own esteem” (Ivi 17). In addition, she claims he has “sworn” (I. 17) to her that he would kill Duncan (King) and that he is breaking an oath by not wanting to kill him. Macbeth, however, chooses to listen to his wife. However, ultimately, Macbeth chooses to not listen his wife’s persuasions. Therefore, even though his wife influences him, he still is killing the king by his own
The witches and Lady Macbeth push Macbeth to kill the king, but this influence does not deny the existence of Macbeth’s own faults and responsibility. The witches suggest that Macbeth will be king, but they never specify how he would become king, Macbeth assumed he would have to kill the current king. The witches first tell him he is Thane of Glamis and he will be Thane of Cawdor and king later. Macbeth eventually comes to trust the witches when he finds out they were right about him being Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth then begins to believe that he will be king. “Two truths are told, / As happy prologues to the swelling act / Of the imperial theme” (I.). Macbeth …show more content…
Lady Macbeth acts as the “spur to prick the sides of [Macbeth’s] intent [to murder Duncan ]” (Ivii 16). She emotionally manipulates Macbeth into killing Duncan (King). She accuses Macbeth of cowardice, saying “Wouldnst thou have that / Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, / And live a cowards in thine own esteem” (Ivi 17). In addition, she claims he has “sworn” (I. 17) to her that he would kill Duncan (King) and that he is breaking an oath by not wanting to kill him. Macbeth, however, chooses to listen to his wife. However, ultimately, Macbeth chooses to not listen his wife’s persuasions. Therefore, even though his wife influences him, he still is killing the king by his own