Macbeth's Decisions And The Witches

Submitted By mattandjack
Words: 1059
Pages: 5
Open Document
Macbeth’s Decisions and the Witches
By Matthew Caputo

Throughout William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the theme of Decision-making is constantly seen. The three witches are an extremely important element to the plot as they influence many of the decisions made by the characters through their predictions of what is to come. While they are connected to the supernatural ability to see into the future and are quite influential, they do not control Macbeth’s fate entirely. Their predictions are, however, the devices which originally introduce the ideas of murder and betrayal to Macbeth’s mind as a method to further his position. Despite that, Macbeth’s decisions to murder King Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff’s family are all ultimately made by himself, sometimes through the influence of others such as his wife. The witches give Macbeth his first idea to kill; his first dark plan based on their prophecies is when he begins to think about killing Duncan, King of Scotland. When he meets the witches for the first time, he is quite shocked to hear what they have to say: “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” (Macbeth 1. 3. 47-49). When Macbeth becomes Thane of Cawdor, fulfilling their first prediction, he is lead to dark thoughts towards his the King, whom he previously respected more than almost anything. Macbeth reveals that he has newly thought of plans to kill the King when he says,

I am thane of Cawdor. If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature? Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings. (1. 3.137-142)

Macbeth is not controlled to perform this act by the witches, but thinks that it could be necessary because they have said he will become King. He struggles with making the decision, however, and even at one point decides against it. Macbeth shows this unease when he says, “First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, / Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, / Who should against his murderer shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself” (1. 7. 13-16). In the end it is his wife that pushes him to take Duncan’s life through mockery of his manhood, not the witches. Macbeth’s second decision to kill, by hiring murderers to kill Banquo and his son, is also inspired by paranoia about the witches’ prophecies. Macbeth not only gets hung up on what the witches say about him, but also what they say about Banquo. Back when they make their predictions for the new King, they also tell Banquo, “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. / So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!” (1. 3. 68-69). This prediction comes back to haunt Macbeth after he becomes King and he resolves to have Banquo and his son, Fleance, killed. Macbeth explains to the murders he has hired,

There is none but he Whose being I do fear, and under him My genius is rebuked, as it is said Mark Antony’s was by Caesar. He chid the sisters When first they put the name of king upon me And bade them speak to him. Then, prophetlike, They hailed him father to a line of kings. (3. 1. 56-62)

Macbeth and Banquo were great friends and had a strong mutual respect for one-another, but because of what the witches said, Macbeth develops the idea that it is necessary to have him and his son murdered. In act 3, he expresses to his wife his fear and paranoia of Banquo possibly still being alive: “Come, seeling night, / Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day / And with thy bloody and invisible hand / Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond / Which keeps me pale” (3. 2. 48-52). He does not want him to rob him of his place as King as the witches said his kids would. This shows that the witches did not force him into thinking that way; Macbeth
Show More

Related Documents: Macbeth's Decisions And The Witches

English Essay

English essay How dose Shakespeare present love in much ado about nothing. There are many different of love and we experience them in our lives. Family love, friendship love and romantic love are parts of everyday life and this is what Shakespeare was presenting to this audience in much ado about nothing. We get a sense of the relationships presents through the dialog of the characters, for example when leonato and hero talks as farther and daughter. Shakespeare also shows us romantic love through…

Words 867 - Pages 4

English Essay

English Essay THESIS- These texts reflect the experiences of men and women in previous society’s Intro – Introduce texts dramatic SCND, and poetic in MLD and PL Displays imbalance of power, gender (female repressed in pat society) Text explores beliefs and values of love, poverty, social repression and class structure. Study texts Power structure within pat society Time period Renaissance and post modern Thesis. MBP-1 Street Car Named Desire By Tennessee Williams - Topic sentence- In…

Words 962 - Pages 4

English Essay

English Essay Thomas Jefferson once said, “The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of a good environment.” However, in ‘Lord of the Flies’, William Golding precisely portrays the truly destruction within humans. He also illustrates the collapse of society and peaceful civilization through dissension among the group. In addition, the ‘Lord of the Flies’ is an extraordinarily fierce and bloody novel that illustrates a group of British boys, from…

Words 734 - Pages 3

English Comparison Essay

English 101 FG Fall 2013 Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9:20-10:50 Instructor: Jamison Spencer Email: jspencer36@ccc.edu Office: 2753 Office hours: By appointment and: MW 9:45-10:45 and Tues 11:00-12:00 Truman College Mission Statement Our Mission dedicates us to deliver high-quality, innovative, affordable and accessible educational opportunities and services that prepare students for a rapidly changing and diverse global economy. Truman College General Education Goals In this course…

Words 1820 - Pages 8

English Essay

When analyzing a commercial, one should be aware and have a speculative mind. Commercials can attract many different audiences. It depends on how it is directed and what assumptions the director makes about the audience. There are multiple things that could appeal to a certain audience such as different types of scenarios that the audience can relate to and the way people react in those situations. Sometimes to express these concepts a commercial needs to be crazy. Throughout the years, the…

Words 1017 - Pages 5

English Essay

15/04/2014 Dr Louise Fitzgerald Education Development Unit ECON1101 In-class Test, week 8 The goals of Test 2 Knowledge (ASB Learning Goal) Explain the assumptions of standard models of microeconomics. Explain the different market environments in which individual, social and government decisions are made. Explain the reasons for and outcomes of government intervention in the economy. 1 15/04/2014 The goals of Test 2 Critical thinking and problem solving (ASB Learning…

Words 991 - Pages 4

English Essay

Julius Caesar The responsibility of power effects the environment of human nature by causing destruction and heartbreak; readers also learn that power damage a majority of all relationships. In the play, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare the theme of corruption can make someone so arrogant that with the right amount of power it can lead to death. First, Brutus is a man whose motive is honorable even if people do not understand it. Next, Cassius envies Caesar's authority and power Last Anthony…

Words 681 - Pages 3

English essay

The late night sky glistened in the lights of the stadium. The full moon glared at me as I prepared myself for the toughest challenge that I will ever have to face, which stood between me and a grand final victory. 53 metres out, 15 metres from the sideline, 1 point down, siren had already blown, adversity staring me straight in the eyes. I try to bloke out the millions of screaming fans yelling at the top of their lungs. Half are holding their breath whilst others are trying to put me off my game…

Words 1332 - Pages 6

english essay

Katy and Becky were two typical American teenaged girls. After school, they spent all of their time together, watching scary movies, having sleepovers, shopping for new clothes. They liked partying, keeping up with their friends , having fun and enjoying life. They had no way of knowing the horrible fate that life had in store for them. Then one stormy, cold night katy and chloe decided to have a girls night out. They planned to sneak out to a nightclub as soon as their parents went to sleep.…

Words 1062 - Pages 5

English Essay

* 作文替换词 得到，付出 付出 给 Give, offer, endow, endue, present, bestow, provide, supply, furnish Impart, instruct, apprise, teach, instill, inculcate, Proffer, confer, donate, contribute, subscribe, bequeath, Issue, flow out, release, 支出 Cost, spend, pay, pay out, expend, disburse, Prodigal, profligate, splurge, spendthrift, dissipate frugal, scrimp, skimp, abstemious, Expenditure, subvention, 归还,偿439 Return, hand out, restore, reciprocate, remunerate, revert, Compensate, reimburse, indemnify…

Words 995 - Pages 4