Fate vs.
Macbeth
Thesis:
The character, Macbeth, is not a victim of fates
harsh cruelty but rather a facilitator in his own selffulfilling downfall.
Jake Winn- AP Seminar
Topic- the character of Macbeth suffers from
qualities of pride, fear, thirst for power, and
belief in the supernatural that leads him to
believing and instituting the absurd
predictions of the witches- which were
otherwise just guesses.
What Impacts Macbeth’s
Decisions?
1.
Lust for wickedness
The mysticism of the witches
Need to make the witches predictions a reality
2.
Need for power
Envy of Banquo and his blood line
Direct reason for regicide
3.
Desire to be immortal
lady Macbeth and having children
Historical Background of Macbeth
People of the Shakespearean age held a strong
belief in:
Ghosts
Malevolent spirits
Witches- “a physical manifestation of evil and a threat to
society's moral and religious fiber.”
1400 to 1700= era of witch hunts and witch trials.
Queen Elizabeth I passed the 1562 Elizabethan
Witchcraft Act forbidding "conjurations,
enchantments and witchcrafts."
The Witches and the Plot
The witches play several roles within the text
•
Emblems of the hostile powers in nature
•
Mysticism of fate and pre-determined
destiny
“they are ignoble and vulgar instruments
of hell”
Designed to bring out the worst in
Macbeth
Cunning, manipulative and it is unclear
how much future-predicting ability they
truly posses
•
•
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The Role of Lady Macbeth
When discussing Lady Macbeth’s role in
Macbeth’s fate many questions should be
asked:
What actions did she convince Macbeth to do?
Would he have done what he did without her?
Child birth
Does Macbeth blame Lady Macbeth for not baring
children?
If so his mortality is pinned on her
Conclusion
He was given freewill to decipher the
information he was given and he chose
to make it come true.
Macbeth was doomed tragically from
the start, as is all men. His death was
immanent, but his path to the death
was determined by the actions that he
took which led him there.