Macbeth's Free Will

1 Pages 344 Words

In Macbeth, the witches prophecies seem to negate Macbeth’s free will. However, at some instances, Macbeth willfully chooses evil over good. The witches prophesies that Macbeth will be thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. The idea of being King of Scotland soon comes to rule Macbeth’s thoughts and life. He could just let fate happen, but instead he willingly takes fate into his own hands.
Lady Macbeth talks her husband into killing Duncan, the King of Scotland. Macbeth could have said no, which he did at first, but eventually he gives in and consents. He murdered Duncan while he was sleeping in Macbeth’s own house. The next morning when the people find out, Macbeth has the guards killed, for not watching over the King very well. He knows that it’s not the guard’s faults, yet he willingly has them killed. He got Duncan out of his way and Malcolm flees to England, so no one is standing in the way, and Macbeth becomes King of Scotland. Later on in the play, Banquo and Fleance become suspicious of Macbeth. So Macbeth hires men to murder both Banquo and Fleance. Banquo is killed, but Fleance is able to escape. Once Banquo is out of the way, Macbeth finds out that Macduff has gone to England to find Malcolm. Malcolm is the rightful heir to the throne and if he comes back he could overthrow Macbeth. So now Macbeth has the murderers go to Macduff’s house. They kill Macduff’s wife, and sons, as well as anyone else in the house.
Many people died because Macbeth chose evil over good. Macbeth did not have to kill anyone, or do anything to become King. If he had let fate happen, he eventually may have become King. This all started with the killing of Duncan and it progresses from there. Macbeths’ evil side comes out and he does kill anyone and everyone who gets in his way....