Fate is an unnatural force that is unavoidable and cannot be controlled. Fate can control a person’s future completely and eventually it wins over their best attempts at surviving. In the play, Macbeth, written by Shakespeare, the main character Macbeth experiences the uncontrollable power of fate. Prophecies are foretold by three witches that give Macbeth a hunger for power and a series of events play out that show fate decides your future no matter how hard you try to fight it. Although Macbeth at first tries to fight the power of fate, he nevertheless becomes a victim of fate’s cruelty because of the witches that lead him to his untimely death. In the beginning of the play, three witches approach Macbeth after a victorious battle and tell him of future events that will occur. They explain to him in riddles that he will gain great power in his near future. “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!” (Shakespeare 17). Their tone is taunting and playful as if they are almost enjoying their power to play with Macbeth’s emotions. They are very unspecific and mysterious as to the details of this prophecy leaving Macbeth lingering with curiosity and greed that grows over time. The witches planned to meet him and to tell him this prophecy to purposely trigger this hunger inside his soul. The sisters had “a supernatural ability to control the destiny of human beings” (Nelson) and to bring the true nature of a man’s soul to the surface. A man’s soul has both a good and evil side; the evil inside Macbeth’s soul was revealed by the three witches as they continue to help control his destiny.
Macbeth’s intentions to be king become greater and greater as his curiosity grows as to whether the prophecy will come true. On the night that Macbeth kills Duncan, a bloody dagger floats before him and he wonders whether it is his imagination or if it is real. As the dagger leads him to Duncan’s chamber it is further shown here that the witches had magically placed the dagger in Macbeth’s path to lead him into the room to kill Duncan. The witches controlled Macbeth’s fate by not only provoking a darkness inside of him but by making the dagger appear before him leading him to what will soon become the reason behind his downfall. After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth’s dark side becomes fully unleashed. He begins to realize that the only way to keep his throne safe is to kill Banquo, who is another part of the prophecy that the witches had told Macbeth. The witches predicted that Banquo, Macbeth’s partner, would never be king, but his sons would be one day. Fearing that this part of the prophecy would come true and that Banquo had suspicion of Macbeth murdering the king, Macbeth hires two murderers to kill Banquo. Macbeth’s plan to kill Banquo is an example of Macbeth’s growing anger and greed. He had planned this murder all on his own, out of fear of losing the power he had just received. Macbeth, at this point in the play has officially become a tyrant, a symbol of mythological theory. The violent anger inside his soul has taken over his entire being, causing him to become a ruler of hatred and greed. He has become a universal symbol of a tyrant, someone the world truly fears. Once again, the prophecy controlled Macbeth’s actions by scaring him into killing someone else. The witches lead him into another murder, pushing him farther into insanity. Because of his actions, the night of Banquo’s murder, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost. The guilt that is hidden in Macbeth’s heart is seen by the witches and to further play with Macbeth’s mind, the witches plan for Banquo’s ghost to appear. “Thou canst not say I did it. Never shake the gory locks at me.” (Shakespeare 103). Macbeth’s guilt shines through his dark, stable exterior. This