Outside Forces

Outside Forces

William ShakespeareЎЇs Macbeth, is a tragic play in which Macbeth, the main character, is forced through his own unchecked ambition as well as the weird sisters, to make the prophecies become true. Some readers assume that Macbeth is an innocuous and innocent character who was forced by his wife and the weird sisters to do detrimental deeds. But this is not true because Macbeth himself also had ambitions of his own. The weird sisters, also known as the three witches, were the ones who truly pushed Macbeth into violence and death. They knew that Macbeth had a weak character, and through it, they would be able to manipulate him to eventually induce him to his fate. Therefore the witches, the ones who prophesized MacbethЎЇs fate, are who controlled his fate, but it was also MacbethЎЇs ambition that caused the prophecies to become true.

The once guiltless Macbeth may have caused his own death through his ambitions, but it was mostly the witches that forced him into violence and corruption. First of all, these appalling witches notified Macbeth about his own fate. Macbeth, having knowledge about his own fate knew that he must do something in order for his bloodline to continue his power. Macbeth going to the throne was also prophesized by the witches when they had said,Ў± All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafterЎ± (I-3, 53). When Macbeth hears

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this, he was shocked because he felt that he had to believe them and he knew at once that these witches had supernatural powers. Because of the fact that Macbeth knew he was going to become the king, he began to have ambitions. Macbeth says,Ў± The thane of Cawdor lives a prosperous gentleman, and to be king stands not within the prospect of beliefЎ± (I-3, 75-77). What Macbeth is stating in this quote is that he thought that being the Thane of Glamis was adequate enough for him, but he never even dreamed about becoming the Thane of Cawdor or the king. This means that if Macbeth did not know that he would become the king, he would have never killed King Duncan. Also, if he did not know that BanquoЎЇs son would go to the throne, he would have never even tried to kill Banquo, or his son, Fleance, in order to continue his bloodline