By Sienna Smith & Nicole Kambouris
Definition:
Fate is the development of events outside a
person’s control, regarded as predetermined by
a supernatural power.
Other words for Fate include:
• Destiny
• Fortune
• Outcome
Fate plays a large role in Shakespeare's
Macbeth. We see throughout the play how
many of the characters try to tempt fate.
Macbeth does it and so does Lady Macbeth.
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are seen trying to
force fate to change by interfering with the
witches predictions of their future.
Act 1
In act one the witches reveal Macbeths fate to him
by telling him that he will be the Thane of Glamis,
Thane of Cawdor and King. This encourages
Macbeth to start thinking about his future and what
he could do to speed up the process of becoming
king.
In scene 3 Macbeth says ‘If chance will have me
king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir’.
He is saying that he believes he could become king
without having to kill anyone.
Act 2
In act 2 Macbeth interferes with fate when he kills
the King, after this King Duncan's sons run away in
fear that they may be next. ‘What should be spoken
here, where our fate, Hid in an auger-hole, may
rush and seize us? Let’s away. Our tears are not yet
brewed.’ Donalbain says to Malcolm in an aside.
Macbeth is crowned King just like the witches
predicted.
Act 3
In act 3 Macbeth expresses his fears about Banquo because he cannot
forget the witches prophecy that Banquo’s descendants will become king.
‘To be thus is nothing, 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 He hath a
wisdom that doth guide his valor. To act in safety. There is none but he
Whose being I do fear, and under im 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. Upon my head they placed a
fruitless crown And put a barren scepter in my grip, Thence to be
wrenched with an unlineal hand, No son of mine succeeding. If ’t be so,
For Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind; For them the gracious Duncan
have I murdered; Put rancors in the vessel of my peace. Only for them;
and mine eternal jewel Given to the common enemy of man, To make
them kings, the seed of Banquo kings! Rather than so, come fate into the
list, And champion me to th' utterance. Who’s there?’.
Macbeth interferes with his own and Banquo’s fate by persuading three
murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance. Banquo is killed, but
Fleance escapes.
Act 4
In act 4 after Macbeth and Lady Macbeth host their first
dinner as King and Queen. Where Macbeth sees Banquo’s
ghost which terrifies him. The next morning he decides to
visit the witches and they show him mysterious visions of
his fate. The witches tell him three things; ‘The first says
beware the thane of Fife! Macbeth says thanks, The second
is a bloody child, he speaks Macbeth, no man born from a
woman shall harm Macbeth. The third is a child crowned
with a tree in his hand he says that when the forest comes
to the castle Macbeth would be undone. Macbeth laughs
on these premonitions saying that no man shall ever touch
him for all men are born of women, and the forest will
never meet the castle because trees cannot move
themselves.’ This changes Macbeths view of his fate
because he now believes that no one can harm him.
Act 5
In the final act, act 5, Lady Macbeth alters Macbeths fate when she
kills herself because Macbeth is now alone and doesn’t know how to
deal with all that has happened and will happen in the future because
Lady Macbeth was the one that made many of his decisions for him.
“She should have died hereafter. There would have been a time for
such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this
petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time, And
all our yesterdays have lighted fools, The way to dusty death. Out, out,
brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and
frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale
told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.” Macbeths
says after he found out about his wife’s death, his reaction was
unexpected as he knew it would end up happening anyway.
Macbeth’s fate is also changed when Macduff comes after him
because he believed that no man would kill him, but Macduff does.
This changes everyone’s fate especially King Duncan's sons because
they now have a chance to become king in the future.
Universal idea of fate
When Mary met Prince Frederick at the Sydney
Olympics it was her fate to become a Princess.
Just like if Macbeth hadn’t of met and talked to
the witches, he would’ve never known that he
would one day become king and he wouldn’t of
gone mad.
The language techniques used in Macbeth include:
• Metaphors - "Fair is foul and foul is fair.“ This is part of the
witches' conversation. This phrase is a metaphor that
describes the state of affairs within Macbeth and without in
Scotland. Evil and sinister things have taken the place of all
that is good and just.
• Similes - "And pity, like a naked new-born babe."
Shakespeare is comparing pity to the helplessness of a newborn infant.
• Imagery - The imagery includes many recurring images,
related with many of the themes of the play. The imagery of
the Reality and the Appearances and the Witches, the Light
and the Darkness are wonderfully merged in Macbeth. The
imagery of Sleep is also associated with the Death as
“Macbeth does murder sleep”.
Macbeth is a classic because it explores many
different types of themes including betrayal,
tragedy, power and fate. It also explores
situations that we experience in our everyday
lives and relate to both ancient and modern
times.
Why we study Shakespeare…
We believe that we study Shakespeare because
it allows us to enter into a state of mind
different from our own and therefore enlarging
our imagination.