Identity In Macbeth

In today’s world, everything varies depending upon perspective. How one person perceives events in life can largely differ from another person’s perspective. On a similar note, fate is witnessed differently varying upon perspective. However, many believe that our fate is controlled by a supernatural force. But in Shakespeare’s “Tragedy of Macbeth,” the titled character controls his own fate, which determines his identity throughout the play. In the beginning, Macbeth meets three witches who tell him that his prophecy is that he will be crowned king. Later on, Macbeth writes a letter to his wife telling her about the witches’ prophecy, and she convinces him to murder the current king Duncan. After Macbeth is put under the spell of Lady Macbeth …show more content…
For instance, when the witches revealed the prophecy to Macbeth, he took his fate into his own hands by murdering king Duncan. While it can be argued that the witches caused Macbeth to commit the murder and are therefore the root of his chaos, in the end Macbeth is the one truly at fault because he is the only root of his chaos, not the witches. He made the decision to kill Duncan, he picked up the dagger, and he alone stabbed him in his sleep. Significantly, this murder changed Macbeth’s identity because all of his actions went downhill from here. After killing Duncan, Macbeth says, “But I could not pronounce ‘Amen’// I had most need of the blessing, and ‘Amen’// Stuck in my throat” (Act 2, Scene 2, page 56). Evidently, murdering Duncan caused chaos in his world because Macbeth lost not only his mental stability, but his masculinity and religion too. An irremovable stain was placed on his innocence after the murder. Because Macbeth is a good man at heart, he feels extremely guilty. As a result, Macbeth says, “Prithee, see there! Behold! Look! Lo! How say you? Why, what I care? If thou canst nod, speak too” (Act 3, scene 4, page 112). To punish himself, he begins to see the ghost of Banquo. Because seeing a ghost was considered as a supernatural event, one could think that Macbeth is going crazy from the chaos he caused himself. By …show more content…
As such, the witch’s apparitions made Macbeth egotistical towards the end of the play. They influenced Macbeth to take action and follow the prophecy, even if it was false. Macbeth becomes so gulliable that he actually starts to believe that everything the witches say is true. For example, when the messenger tells Macbeth, “As I did stand my watch upon the hill// I looked toward Birnam, and anon methought// The wood began to move” but Macbeth responds with “Liar and Slave!” (Act 5, Scene 5, page 202). As such, when he sees the trees moving from Burnham Woods, he does not believe it because he specifically remembers that the third apparition told him to be proud and care no more, and that he should not worry until “Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill // Shall come against him.” (Act 4, scene 1, page 138). As a result, Macbeth does not listen to his messenger because he thinks he should never care anymore, since it seems impossible for the forest roots to be physically pulled out of the Earth and move. Evidently, this builds chaos for Macbeth because he starts to stop listening to everyone else and starts to only listen to the witches and their prophecy. His reliance on them only allows more chaos to enter his future. Even though the messenger knows that Birnam Woods is moving, Macbeth does not believe