Macbeth Free Will Analysis

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, once stated, “Life is a game of cards.The hand you 're dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free will.” His thoughts are relevant to Macbeth, in which the main protagonist, Macbeth, struggles as he assumes power. Throughout the play, Macbeth encounters many situations such as the witches’ prophecy and Lady Macbeth’s persuasion, which on the surface, appears to indicate that fate caused his violent actions. The witches and Lady Macbeth try to twist Macbeth’s morals and make his ideas become disturbing. Although one may believe Macbeth’s actions are an act of fate, his actions are entirely based on his free will. Macbeth willingly trusts the witches’ prophecy although he realized their wickedness. In the beginning of Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth and Banquo confront three witches …show more content…
Throughout the play, Macbeth faces forceful persuasion from his wife while he voluntarily deciphers the witches’ prophecy. After seeming to follow Lady Macbeth’s reminder of fate, Macbeth states in his soliloquy that ambition for power is his only motivation in murdering King Duncan. Macbeth then doubts his ability to murder until he experiences a hallucination, which represents his subconscious reassuring his violent actions. Towards the end of Macbeth, Hecate reveals that the witches’ original prophecy is a hoax, meant to confuse Macbeth. Shakespeare also examined the theme of fate versus free will in Romeo and Juliet. Like Macbeth, a prophecy stated that Romeo and Juliet would end their lives in a tragedy. Romeo does eventually commit suicide, however, he voluntarily drank the poison, showing his free will was responsible for his death, not fate. Shakespeare used Macbeth’s actions to remind us that free will guided by the subconscious is what determines someone’s