Kimberlin Low Asher P2 Macbeth Essay

A man with potential to rule must have valor, strength, and courage. Macbeth, a noble general in King Duncan’s army, has shown these traits. Though he was capable, Macbeth ultimately allowed clouded judgment and faith in a prophecy to control his life. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, man’s perception of fate has power over his actions. The proposed fate drives characters’ actions and reactions throughout the story, leading to a series of terrible events. In addition, Macbeth is prompted with internal ambition and lust in agonizing over his own thoughts, which Shakespeare uses to characterize the extent of recklessness of mankind. Unfortunately, a series of wrong choices lead to his downfall. Shakespeare utilizes the words of other characters, captures the essence of human folly, and discusses negative effects of wrong choices, as readers observe the rise and fall of Macbeth.

Macbeth’s journey began with a prophecy from three witches. They told him that he was going to become the Thane of Cawdore and eventually, the King of Scotland. In addition, they told him to beware of Macduff, that Macbeth would not be able to die at the hand of a man born of a woman, and that he would be safe until Birnam Wood comes to his castle. This implied that he would be nearly invincible. The premonition of his future life was alluring to Macbeth, but he stayed skeptical, and did not ignore their omen. Ultimately, he revealed this prophecy to his wife, who loved it. Lady Macbeth persuaded Macbeth to take the prophecy into his own hands and find a way to expedite it to gain results faster. She questioned his masculinity and attacked his courage. Not allowing life to take its course, Lady Macbeth wanted Macbeth to act quickly and murder the King, so he could ascend the throne. Her perception of fate was to act recklessly, as long as fate was on their side, as if whatever actions they engaged in would be by fate. Lady Macbeth made her husband feel guilty for not chasing his dream and badgered him to act. Macbeth was reluctant and unsure of whether to believe the prophecy or his sense of what was right. But Lady Macbeth’s words dug deeper as she continued to emasculate him and assert her opinions. Her ambition overrode both of their sense of right and wrong and dispelled their moral conduct. In the end, Macbeth chose to follow through with Lady Macbeth’s plan to kill the King. Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth as a device to propel the action in the story forward. Lady Macbeth’s evil scheming and large ambition became Macbeth’s mindset also, and became the initial source of many wrong choices to come.

Macbeth unknowingly gave way to ambition and greed. In putting himself first rather than others, he shamelessly killed the King to get what he wanted. Macbeth felt the need to gain power. Society’s pressure to uphold male duties of strength, virtue, and social stature drove Macbeth to claim the position of King. Murdering the King seemed like a difficult task, but once finished, all other evil actions followed without regret. Without a second glance, Macbeth killed two guards in order to hide his secret. His actions revolved around protecting the crown, as he was secretly scared and paranoid of anyone overthrowing him. This anxious mindset continued to eat at Macbeth, deteriorating trust and loyalty he had to other men. The threats of others overruling Macbeth lead to the deaths of the Macduff family. Due to the fact that Macbeth continued to believe in this fate, whether it be about his ascension to the throne or downfall, lead to rash courses of action. The haughty and arrogant attitude Macbeth gained in his self-prescribed invincibility led to his death and defeat. A full trust in fate and prophecy proved to be deadly.

With all this vicious action being committed, there were negative affects to them. To protect the crown, Macbeth killed his good friend Banquo. In response to this, Banquo’s ghost haunted him. In addition, hallucinations of the bloody dagger Macbeth used to kill the King constantly appeared to haunt the murderer. Even Lady Macbeth kept imagining her hands were stained with blood. As she began to grow ill, she relieved that murderous night over and over as she sleep walked. Going insane, Lady Macbeth commits suicide. Though Macbeth and Lady Macbeth seemed to have what they wanted, on the inside they suffered mentally and emotionally. Their perceptions of fate did not satisfy their needs, but instead ruined their lives. These negative affects occurred due to Macbeth’s self-ambition, which drove his actions. Too easily persuaded and driven by selfishness, Macbeth shed his true courage and honor as a general and died as a guilty tyrant.