...Joshua Berube Mr. Welsch ENG 3U1 Monday, May 9th, 2016 Macbeth’s Fate Fate is defined in many different ways. Webster's Dictionary defines fate as a power that predetermines events. Fate and destiny suggest that events are unavoidable and unchangeable. Whatever happens in life is meant to be and cannot be changed by mankind. The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare displays ambition, fate, deception and treachery. Fate is a supernatural force that controls the actions and choices of others. In Macbeth fate plays an important role in the lives of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and Banquo. Macbeth’s fate is unavoidable and unchangeable. Macbeth’s fate is sealed as soon as he meets the witches’. Macbeth’s fate is tragic. Macbeth and Banquo are together...
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...Was Macbeth’s murder of Duncan an act of fate or free will? In Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, a Scottish general who becomes king after three witches report his future to him, murders the King of Duncan to obtain the throne. Shakespeare utilized the philosophy that free will is paramount in the development of the character and clearly Macbeth chose his own path causing his ultimate demise. Throughout the story, Shakespeare uses his tone to show how Macbeth’s future is determined by his free will. In plenty of instances, like the murder of Duncan, Macbeth chose to act upon this in order to further his chances of obtaining the throne. The Witches proclaimed to Macbeth, explaining his fate but he denied it, preaching this, “For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires” (29.55). This quote is evident because Macbeth's motivation to become king represents his free will in possessing the throne. Macbeth knows that being king is meant for him, but is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure it remains in his grasp. As well as that, Macbeth also states that he will commit to anything to...
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...Common Themes in Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet Shakespeare utilizes the supernatural and fate to pave the destiny of some of his characters in his tragedies. Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet appear to have a common novel theme of fate, betrayal to supremacy, and the struggle to restore providential power. Shakespeare uses rhetoric to effectively convey the idea of fate and the struggle against it. In all three of these Shakespearian tragedies characters encounter the emotion of disbelief and the struggle to seek refuge from fate and to ultimately live life as if it were their free will. In Macbeth and Hamlet, Shakespeare appears to use apparitions early in the play to effectively establish mysteriousness of the paths of these characters. By using apparitions Shakespeare clearly makes a distinction of the supernatural and reality. In these moments of these confrontations Shakespeare successfully establishes Hamlet and Macbeth’s mortality and their inevitability to succumbing to their fate. But were Hamlet and Macbeth actually doomed right away or were they in a situation where poor choices caused their downfall? H.B. Charlton thinks that Hamlet being that type of man he is, fails to kill Claudius right after King Hamlet has been murdered causing him to succumb to his fate (83). Also Julius Caesar and Duncan’s ghost appear in their plays. In each of these tragedies the main character has one emotion when he encounters fate, disbelief. Disbelief in the potential...
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...Shakespeare’s play Macbeth and Malouf’s novel Ransom both explore themes about freedom. The themes of freedom are largely characterised by their modes of textual representation – the play and the novel. Malouf’s novel is a heteroglossic text and is able to explore the themes relating to freedom through multiple focalisations and intertextuality with Homer’s Iliad. On the other hand, Shakespeare’s Macbeth explores the theme of freedom with asides, soliloquies and the supernatural. However, despite these differences in their representations of freedom there is a convergence for the reader in the implications for narrative meaning. Regardless of their contexts both texts elevate free will over predestination. Malouf’s novel Ransom reimagines...
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... Man’s World may resonate with a contemporary society; however, in the world of William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, women receive a significantly less flattering light. This is not to say that women are not important in the plot of Macbeth. Shakespeare crafts women as manipulators throughout the plot. Even the depiction of Lady Macbeth above her husband on the cover speaks volumes to their dynamic as puppeteer and marionette. Conversely, Shakespeare uses an implicit definition of what it means to be a woman to define what it means to be a man. Masculinity becomes the antithesis of conniving femininity. Shakespeare designs each male character’s masculinity, desire to be seen as a man, and even his overall virtue in correlation to the amount of dominance he allows female figures to have in his life. Throughout the course of Macbeth,...
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...Macbeth Essay Every person has flaws, and every person has the potential for evil in their hearts. It’s human nature! Most of us are tamed by society and our own morals, but for some, it spirals out of control and William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, is no exception. We’ve all heard the name, we all know what happened our tragic hero, but what caused his downfall from the King’s greatest warrior and favourite, to a cold-hearted murderer? He had a great personality, but a major flaw in his character. Many have debated what exactly his flaw was but one thing’s for sure; his vaulting ambition obstructed him from what was reality. Furthermore, when the witches revealed the prophecies to him, his power-crazed mind took over; this ultimately led to his blind charge at death. Most people do not believe in witches, fairies or any of the sorts, but almost everyone acknowledges the presence of evil in our world. From the beginning of the play, there have been a lot of a lot of thunder, lightning, and drama surrounding these figures of evil that represent all the dark and chaotic forces in the universe. I think that Shakespeare began the play with the witches because they are the ones who catalyze all that happens in the play (and we all know that a good story always begins with something evil and exciting!). Their words plant the idea to kill Duncan in his mind. When he heard that he was going to become King, he mentally begins to plan his actions in order to fulfill what he thinks is...
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...How Guilt is Portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird and Macbeth In 1623 William Shakespeare wrote his play Macbeth, 337 years later Harper Lee wrote her novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Although the texts were written in entirely different eras and settings, both texts are similar in the theme of guilt. Guilt is a self-critical emotion that humans feel that compromises their sense of moral integrity. Guilt allows whoever is feeling this emotion to know that they have wronged another person or themselves and gone against their sense of responsibility or moral standards. In both Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the lead villains follow parallel paths with regard to their guilt, undertaking ill advised courses of actions which result not only in the undoing of the women in their lives, but also ultimately their own demise. Early on in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth the lead character Macbeth is at war with himself over what the correct course of action is, burdened by the Weird Sisters’ stating “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (I.iii.51), which leaves Shakespeare with the choice of taking Macbeth down the path of letting life play it’s course or taking matters into his own hands. Macbeth ultimately chooses to take matters into his own hands and kills King Duncan. This allows the play to follow the action plan of Macbeth instantly becoming king of Scotland, causing him to spend the rest of the play covering up his tracks. Similarly, in Harper...
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...1564. His father was John Shakespeare (who was a glover and leather merchant) and his mother Mary Arden (who was a landed local heiress). John had a remarkable run of success as a merchant, alderman, and high bailiff of Stratford, during William's early childhood. His fortunes declined, however, in the late 1570s. William lived for most of his early life in Stratford-upon-Avon. We do not know exactly when he went to London but he is said to have arrived in 1592. There is great conjecture about Shakespeare's childhood years, especially regarding his education. It is surmised by scholars that Shakespeare attended the free grammar school in Stratford, which at the time had a reputation to rival that of Eton. While there are no records extant to prove this claim, Shakespeare's knowledge of Latin and Classical Greek would tend to support this theory. In addition, Shakespeare's first biographer, Nicholas Rowe, wrote that John Shakespeare had placed William "for some time in a free school." John Shakespeare, as a Stratford official, would have been granted a waiver of tuition for his son. As the records do not exist, we do not know how long William attended the school, but certainly the literary quality of his works suggest a solid education. What is certain is...
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...Macbeth Analysis Brian Williams English 125 Melissa Edison April 22, 2013 Macbeth Analysis The poem that I have selected is Macbeth written by William Shakespeare. I will identify three elements in this poem that I found very engaging/interesting. I will give insight on how these elements affected my personal opinion on this poem. Analyzing how these elements affected my response in its entirety will be the vocal point of my paper. Macbeth is a tragedy and is considered one of Shakespeare’s most powerful poems. Shakespeare introduces Macbeth as a strong, power wanting, and noble fighter. Macbeth talks to the witches in the start of Act 1 scene 3 by commanding them to speak to him and for them to tell him what they are. “Speak if you can. What are you” (Clugston, 2010)? Indicating that Macbeth talks with authority, that he has power over the witches, as he does not politely ask the witches. The way that Macbeth is speaking here is using imperative verbs. Shakespeare here uses language to show us what Macbeth character is like. He also tells us by using language that Macbeth is respected by others at the start of the play. In Act 1 scene 2 it states “O valiant cousin, worthy gentlemen” (Portman, 1995). Duncan expresses this about Macbeth. This reveals that people do respect Macbeth and his bravery proves he has a quite high status. Symbolism plays a prominent role to emphasize the theme of corruption of power. Throughout the play there are several main symbols repeatedly...
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...In 1606, The Scottish Play, also know as Macbeth, was casted in the theatres of England. Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth (the main character) is told his fate by three witches. The information that is told to him was misleading.The play presents a series of experiences in which the main character makes decisions that ultimately lead to his death. Continually, throughout the play one will see Macbeth make decisions he regrets, however he turns around and repeats the same actions. Even though Macbeth was told his fate , it does not mean he could not be the author of his own book. Fate is when an event is unavoidable. The three witches tell Macbeth his fate when he is with Banquo, a friend, near Forres. One witch greets Macbeth with the title “Thane of Glamis”. The second witch greets Macbeth with “Thane of Cawdor”. The third witch makes a statement which hints to Macbeth becoming king (1.3.48-50). Banquo and Macbeth knew the witches made precarious remarks but Macbeth was intrigued. For instance, the second witch announced “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater” (1.3.65). The witches vanish, leaving no clarity for Macbeth, who asked many questions. He called them “ imperfect speakers” (1.3.70). Macbeth could not avoid becoming Thane of Cawdor and eventually the...
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...Title: Macbeth Analysis Instructor: Erin Schwartz English 125 Introduction to literature Amanda Manley 11/25/2013 Macbeth Analysis The poem that I have selected is Macbeth written by William Shakespeare. I will identify three elements in this poem that I found very engaging/interesting. I will give insight on how these elements affected my personal opinion on this poem. Analyzing how these elements affected my response in its entirety will be the vocal point of my paper. Macbeth is a tragedy and is considered one of Shakespeare’s most powerful poems. Shakespeare introduces Macbeth as a strong, power wanting, and noble fighter. Macbeth talks to the witches in the start of Act 1 scene 3 by commanding them to speak to him and for them to tell him what they are. “Speak if you can. What are you” (Clugston, 2010)? Indicating that Macbeth talks with authority, that he has power over the witches, as he does not politely ask the witches. The way that Macbeth is speaking here is using imperative verbs. Shakespeare here uses language to show us what Macbeth character is like. He also tells us by using language that Macbeth is respected by others at the start of the play. In Act 1 scene 2 it states “O valiant cousin, worthy gentlemen” (Portman, 1995). Duncan expresses this about Macbeth. This reveals that people do respect Macbeth and his bravery proves he has a quite high status. Symbolism plays a prominent role to emphasize the theme of corruption of power. Throughout the...
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...Public Speaking, Fate and Free Will Tegan Whichello For centuries there has been a universal debate about if fate or free will makes our life the way it is. In Elizabethan times humans believed in a greater or higher power. They believed that their life had been planned out long before they lived, that no matter what choices they made in the end they would end up in the same place. In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Shakespeare challenges us to think about if fate or the choices that we make is what is running our lives. Is Macbeth merely playing the part of a man destined to die a gruesome death or is he a man who chose the path that lead him to be killed by Macduff. At the start of the play Macbeth we are already shown that Macbeth is a fearless and ruthless personality. He is shown as a powerful leader in times of great worry. After the battle in Act 1 Scene 2 seargent says to the king “For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name – disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel, which smoked with bloody execution, like valour’s minion carved out his passage, till he faced the slave; which ne’er shook hands, nor blade farewell to him, till he unseam’d him from the nave to the chaps.” In this statement to the king, seargent has highlighted that Macbeth when his mind is set on a goal would not let any man stand in his way, even if that means killing men along the way. This technique of foreshadowing tells us that just like in the battle, Macbeth will go to any length...
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...comfort in believing that everything happens for a reason, and that fate will lead them to the desired path. They believe that their life has already been planned out for them, and nothing they do can change that. Yet others place their beliefs in free will, and the idea that their actions determine their future. This is the case for the protagonists in both Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Sophocles’ Oedipus The King. Macbeth was given a prophecy that he would become King of Scotland, yet with his power-hungry nature, took it upon himself to speed up the process. Oedipus, similarly, was given a prophecy which read that he would kill his father and his mother, which his hubris allowed him to disavow and try to prove wrong. Their actions...
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...The question of fate and free-will appears numerous times in ancient, tragic dramas. But none is more apparent than in Shakespeare’s play, “MacBeth.” Just like a cancerous cell rapidly dividing, the Weird Sister’s prophecies for MacBeth had set a chain of events, but it was eventually his own actions that lead to his downfall. Although MacBeth was not given a dying speech, Act 5, Scene 7, lines 27-34 could sufficiently be his final speech. We first see MacBeth as a loyal servant to King Duncan. He composes himself with nobility, honor, and bravery. As the concept of him becoming king was planted in his head, the idea eventually takes ahold of him. After we read his first murder, MacBeth’s hands were further tinted with blood as he takes...
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...Literature 1 October 2013 MacBeth Research William Shakespeare, the creator of the tragic story “MacBeth” uses a diverse set of allusions symbols, and figurative language examples throughout the work to enhance the different themes that are throughout the play. In, “MacBeth” there is many themes that are directed, one would be tragedy, and also, tyranny. From beginning to end, Shakespeare develops the meaning of the work by taking the reader through different scenarios and tossing allusions into the piece that help the plot and central theme of the story reveal. The world calls “MacBeth” one of Shakespeare’s grand plays and have been recognized internationally, the play contains symbols like blood, to further identify the massacres and the murders that MacBeth has been continuing to commit throughout the play. The meaning of the work is developed more intensely with this symbol because blood is viewed as gory and horror, and that is what the play eventually moves to. Moving into the act 2, while the tragic hero Macbeth suffers from a flaw that has been growing and growing immensely within himself, a personal and also a self-oriented error that is purely the fault and mistake of the character, Macbeth is now the victim of an external force. The external force is fate, a fate that has been introduced by the prophecy, supported by the weird and demanding sisters, and reinforced urgently by Lady Macbeth. The 3 Witches' prophecy that has been presented to Macbeth is that he shall become...
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