Bilge Şen – 2016010111011 (Night)

THE CONCEPTS OF FATE AND PROPHECY IN MACBETH

Over his tragedy, Macbeth, Shakespeare examines fate and the role of it in the lives of people.
The weird sisters, with their prophecies produced throughout the play, introduce the entire
concept of destiny. The reader wonders whether the predictions of the weird sisters really happen
because of the supernatural powers that they embody or whether their predictions act as
Macbeth’s temptations and occurring because he gives in to his vanity, pride, and anxiety.

Having discovered the first of the prophecies as well as the thought of becoming a king
inserted in his mind, Macbeth is coped with vanity for his role.

‘’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!’’ (1.3.48-50)

By providing this information to Macbeth, the weird sisters help fate to happen. Had Macbeth
never learned the prophecy, he would not have had the desire to become the thane of Cawdor or
the king. Furthermore, when she reads the prophecies in the letter of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth has
determined she will do everything to guarantee her husband to become the king. She even
damages his ego when she attacks his pride and he decides to go ahead with the homicide, to
prove himself. And, after being deceived by someone who recognizes him quite enough to impact
him where it hurts so much that the only way he can rebound is with defiance, he pursues their
conspiracy to murder Duncan.

The second prophecy from the first encounter of the weird sisters is for Banquo. Further
confounding them both, three witches describe Banquo as ‘’Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.’’
and ‘’Not so happy, yet much happier.’’ (1.3.65-66) Having heard this, Macbeth sees Banquo as a
potential danger, and homicide of Banquo is his second killing after Duncan. After that, it is
understood that Macbeth tries to change whatever seems threatening to him in the predictions that
indicate he is attempting to undermine his fate. In the near term, he might not be as lucky as
Macbeth since he has been killed prematurely, however, eventually he will be even luckier
because he will not be made to lament the eternal tortures of hell. The weird sisters are not lying
to Macbeth at any point, he merely gets what he would like to believe, and disregard the rest.
 In the heart of Macbeth, evil evolved steadily over the years. His fate was not over though. He
sees the ghost of Banquo in his sorrow killing him at one of his banquets. He almost discloses his
remorse to his friend, in terror. Fearful of the presence of Banquo’s ghost, he meets the witches
again to find out about his fate. They present him a new prophecy, which the first appearance
says Macbeth to guard against Macduff, however, the second appearance says Macbeth;

‘’Be bloody, bold, and resolute ; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall
harm Macbeth’’ (4.1.80-82)

When the appearance says Macbeth this prophecy, he states that he won’t murder Macduff.
However, he is going to murder Macduff just to make sure prophecy does not happen. Macbeth is
particularly arrogant about these appearances and claims that no one will ever destroy him. He
prides himself on destiny. Nevertheless, Macbeth is shocked by the fact that Macduff is entering
England that he murders his whole family. Macduff, seeking vengeance on Macbeth for
murdering his family, confronts him on the battlefield. Macbeth still attempts to escape by
remembering the prophecy, which no one born of a woman can kill him. It turns out, though,
Macduff was born via a part of cesarean delivery and can potentially murder him. Macbeth, then,
experiences his downfall.

Right before Macduff murders him, Macbeth vows that he will not trust those ‘’juggling
fiends’’ ever again, who distort words and act ‘’in a double sense.’’ However, probably, the three
witches are not even fiends or devils, but forces of righteousness who put Macbeth to judgment
by manipulating him with his own tricks. In Macbeth, it can be seen how he begins as a brave,
upright man, getting everything and destroying everything he accomplishes only to get more.