Sometimes, we don’t get to control our own actions. They are sometimes already predestined. If our actions are predestined, then trying to change them will only prove that prophecy to come true. This is evident during Act 1 Scene 3 of Macbeth, where Banquo and Macbeth are meeting the witches. Banquo says, “Good, sir, why do you start, and seem to fear things that do sound so fair?” (1.3.51) When Banquo notices Macbeth’s excitement about the prophecy he is told, Banquo can’t help but be a bit nervous. He realizes that there is a chance Macbeth could be king. By acknowledging this, he recognizes that Macbeth is going to try and do everything in his power to become king now, ultimately letting fate control his actions. Furthermore, after the witches’ …show more content…
If he takes it to heart and believes it’s true, he will keep going down that path of being manipulated and trying to change that future. This manipulation will control his actions into trying to find a way out of that future, but it only leads him to being controlled more and subjected to fate. This is also shown after the witches tell Macbeth of this new prophecy. “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, without my stir” (1.3.144). Supposedly, if this is fate for Macbeth, he won’t have to put in any effort to become king. We can see that later in the story, however, his actions are controlled by this prophecy and ends up killing Duncan to “push” the prophecy …show more content…
If you don’t have power, some believe you are never truly safe from others, and some tyrants will think that having power over an entire nation will keep you safe because others will listen to you. This is evident when Macbeth is talking about his concerns of being King. “To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo stick deep” (3.1.48). Even though he has power over his entire nation, he can’t help but be concerned about Banquo, and him getting in the way of Macbeth’s power. He still thinks Banquo is noble and clever, which makes him fearful. If he is fearful, then that still gives him some sort of power and influence over other people. This is why Macbeth has to kill him later so that Macbeth doesn’t somehow lose that power. However, when you have all of the power in the country, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you are happy. This can be seen in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s conversation, when Macbeth says, “Naught's had, all's spent, where our desire is got without content” (3.2.6). In this conversation, they realize that they aren’t content with what they have with this newfound power. In fact, it has made Macbeth paranoid and greedy due to this power. Even when they’ve put all of their efforts into gaining influence, they found that it hasn’t made them happy. This shows that even when you have
Macbeth's fears about Banquo run deep, and he sees him as a threat to his position as king. He describes Banquo's "royalty of nature," which he sees as something to be feared. Macbeth acknowledges
Throughout the play, the guilt leads him to kill more and more people because he needs reassurance that he is safe. Because of this constant reassurance, he would end up killing Banquo. As he says, “Our fears in Banquo stick deep.” This quote shows that Macbeth was worried over the fact Banquo was the only one who knew about his prophecy. He needed reassurance because he needed to be sure that Banquo could never find out that he killed King Duncan otherwise his position would be put under threat which could’ve led to his downfall much sooner.
In the story, Macbeth becomes nervous that Banquo will over power him. “But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be feared. ' Tis much he dares, And to that dauntless temper of his mind To act in safety. There is none but he Whose being I do fear.”
Lady Macbeth’s unquenchable desire for power causes her to manipulate Macbeth in a way that creates a toxic relationship between the two. Lady Macbeth states in (2.2.70-71) " Tis
The three evil witches are said to have control over his future. However, these three were just another mind game that should have been avoided. The witches chant “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter” (I.3.51). In other words, they are saying that Macbeth will be king in the near future. While it may be true the witches can suggest and predict, they never have complete control.
After the witches give Macbeth his first prophecy that he will become king, he begins to have thoughts about murdering Duncan. He pushes it aside in disgust, but Lady Macbeth creates a plan to do it in their own home. Macbeth has doubts about it and believes that no stroke of luck will allow him fully get away with it, which he expresses to Lady Macbeth when he tells her “If we should fail-”(1.7.68). By even suggesting failure, he is revealing his uncertainty about the uncontrollable forces of luck. Macbeth is simply relying on the witches’ prophecy to be correct, with the only evidence being that their previous prediction was correct.
First, Macbeth expresses fear when it comes to Banquo’s prophecy. “Then, prophet-like, they hailed him father to a line of kings. Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, and put a barren scepter in my gripe, thence to be wretched with an unlineal hand, no son of mine succeeding” (Shakespeare 3. 1. 57-61). This shows that in Banquo’s prophecy he will heir kings and Macbeth will not. This proves that Macbeth killed Duncan for no reason and Banquo is making him look like a fool for doing so.
In Macbeth’s soliloquy, he talks about Banquo’s “hath of wisdom” and how Banquo acts safely(58). This illustrates that Macbeth is afraid of what Banquo might do. This illustrates Macbeth’s ambition because he is not going to give up until he finds what he is looking for if he gets suspicious with Macbeth. This makes Macbeth very scared of Banquo because if Banquo finds out that Macbeth killed Duncan, Macbeth’s life is going to be hell and Banquo is immediately going to tell everybody in Scotland. Macbeth fears Banquo so much that he will “champion his utterance” and will battle anybody to keep his crown(77).
He now thinks that basically because the prophecies have no way of coming true he has nothing to worry about even though the prophecies wouldn’t even be prophecies if the had no way of coming true. He in fact gets so confidant that he decides that he is untouchable, because everyone is “woman born” as well as the the woods can’t march twords the castle. So because he thinks that he is untouchable he decieds to start being reckless almost completely forgetting that his descendants won’t be king(s) and that Banquo’s will, and that is what ultimately gets him killed, many believe that it was Macbeths ambition that led to his downfall, but the fact that he believes that is fate was changed is, just like how the guilt killed Lady Macbeth. Which just shows that Shakespeare gave us the idea thet fate is never
At the start of the play, Macbeth visits the witches with Banquo at the closing of the battle. The witches speak to Macbeth and Banquo and get the idea of a prophecy in Macbeth’s mind. “All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis./ All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor./ All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter” (1.3.46-48). When the witches get the prophecy in Macbeth’s mind, he believes it will come true and misunderstands the prophecy of the witches. Although the witches make Macbeth believe in the prophecy of becoming the King, Macbeth is responsible for his downfall because they do not recommend Macbeth to kill Duncan.
Being that Banquo seemed suspicious of Macbeth subsequently the night of the king 's death. Apprehensive of his throne Macbeth would do anything in his power to prevent even the slightest chance for anyone to take the throne from him.
(2.1.4-5). Banquo, although experiencing the same things as Macbeth and generally possessing the same characteristics of Macbeth has more control and restriction on his mind and actions than Macbeth does. Macbeth, being Banquo’s friend, eventually sees him as a threat to his mission and kills him off.
He had the choice to ignore all of the predictions but he starts to question his fate. He claims that “If chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir” (I.IV.144-145) and appears to be unphased by the witches predictions. His words don’t reflect his thoughts, as seen later throughout the story. On the other hand Banquo is aware that believing the prophecy is free will, but Macbeth’s crave for power is stronger than his will. When Macbeth notifies his wife about the strange news, she sees
He is modest about his success in battle and skeptical as the witches foretell his future. But he has, as all humans do, a dark, shadowy corner in his soul which could be exposed in all of us, if the right circumstances were to trigger it. The sweetest person you know has the potential to become their villain-version. Fortune telling aside, Macbeth truly did want to be king, and only received in the witches’ message the confidence boost he needed to pursue his goal. If Macbeth desires were a frozen lake, the witch's foretelling was a mere crack in the icy blanket, releasing the dark, thrashing pond beneath.
Unlike Macbeth, Banquo, from the beginning of this encounter, continues to doubt the witches, “I’th’name of truth are ye fantastical, or that indeed which outwardly ye show?” (1.3.51-52) Banquo didn’t believe what the witches were saying, he questions their intentions and accuses them of raising Macbeth’s hope. Throughout this whole encounter, Banquo continues to protect Macbeth while staying loyal. He never once acted on his prophecies, he simply disregarded what the witches were saying and remained the noble man he is. Even to his death, Banquo has not once acted without honour and