William Shakespeare s Macbeth - The Idea Of Free Will

Ethan Farber Mr. O’Connor British Literature 13 December 2015 Macbeth Final Essay In Macbeth the idea of free will is not known for sure, but Shakespeare’s play makes clear that free will is in existence. Macbeth, is controlled by a group of three witches that tell him he needs to become the King. This leads him onto a downward spiral path in his own life, the people around him, and his country. Macbeth convinced himself that what the witches said was true. The meaning of free will is the ability to make choices on your own without the influence of others. Macbeth s life has no meaning without the ability to have free will; Macbeth s free will is influenced by outsiders taking advantage of his weaknesses making Macbeth a living robot. The witches pressure Macbeth into killing the king by taking his free will away. We are not sure if Macbeth actually wants to become the king, but we know that the Witches have a great influence on his decision making. Macbeth questions killing Duncan right from the start. He says â€Å"If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me Without my stir.† (1.3 157-158) What macbeth does not know is that he is already the thane of cawdor. Both Macbeth and Banquo are very startled when the witches deliver this news. Macbeth believe that it is unnatural to kill his own kind. Macbeth says that he wants to kill the king but his other half is saying he doesn t want to, â€Å"The prince of Cumberland; which honor must Not unaccompanied invest himShow MoreRelatedMacbeth Themes899 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"What are the major themes in Macbeth† By Connor Maguire William Shakespeare’s Macbeth a play complete with many themes and viewpoints. The themes are exhibited by the main characters of the play, notably antagonist Macbeth. Themes seen in the play include ambition, where is is portrayed as both dangerous and unnatural. However, it does exist in both good and evil forms in the play. 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