Macbeth Essay

The statement “Macbeth should not be blamed for what happens in the play- he is merely the fatalistic victim of super natural powers” is not true. Macbeth is to blame for all the tragic events he has committed throughout this play. Although the witches had given him his prophecies Macbeth made them real. The only person who can control your future is yourself, you may be offered options but in the end you make the final decision.

After Macbeth ran into the witches and was given his prophecies his mind ran wild, Macbeth thought it couldn’t be possible to become king unless Duncan died. In his aside he thought “If good, why do I yield to that suggestion/ Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair/ And make my seated heart knock at my ribs”(1.3.144-146). Macbeth thought up the image of killing Duncan on his own, the witches only told him the future- that he would be king. The witches did not give him details as to how he would achieve his prophecy; it was open ended so Macbeth could decide how it would come true, Macbeth decided to kill Duncan. Another quote that supports this is “Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires: / The eye wink at the hand! yet let that be, / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.” (1.4.57-60). Macbeth is hoping that the night will hide his dark plans to kill Duncan. He knows he wants to commit the deed but he does not want to get caught, he has lots of time to think about the act but he still followed through with it. Lady Macbeth talked him into it but she found out about the prophecy through Macbeth, if he wouldn’t have told her his thoughts she wouldn’t have persuaded him. Macbeth could have stepped up and followed his morals but he decided to give in to his original thoughts and therefore he should be blamed for the death of Duncan. There was no black magic involved in this murder it was all Macbeth’s doings.

Banquo was the second person to die due to Macbeth’s actions. Macbeth hired murders to kill Banquo and his son because the witches gave Banquo a prophecy that scared Macbeth which was “Thou shalt get kings” (1.3.70). Macbeth felt threatened by this fortune since all of his own had come true , he killed Banquo so there could not be a line of kings in his family. Black magic had nothing to do with this act that Macbeth committed it was all out of pure jealousy and ambition. “If you look into the seeds of time, / And say which grain will grow and which will not,/ Speak then to me”(1.3.61-63). The witches prophecies were like seeds and Macbeth choose which ones he wanted to pursue and let grow, he “watered” the seeds to make them grow. All plans need actions to make them work, if a man sold poisonous seeds and the farmer knew but still planted them and feed them to his friends and family it is not the man’s fault it is the farmers. Macbeth knew the fortunes given from the witches could be lethal but he still kept them in mind and made them real, he is to blame for the murder of Banquo.

Macbeth decides he needs more answers and goes to find the witches and there they give him three new prophecies one of which was “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff” (4.1.77). Macbeth takes that as a hint that Macduff must be destroyed but