Macbeth Characters Essay, Research Paper

In the play Macbeth the characters are using certain prophesies to try and help

themselves in gaining confidence and self-assurance in achieving their ultimate

goals. This is especially true in the character of Macbeth. He believes that

throughout this story he is able to control his destiny and also change things

he can not. He thinks that the actions he takes and the decisions that he makes

will allow him to control the future and further himself. In the beginning of

this play, Macbeth is encountered by three witches, which give him the news of

him becoming the king. He does not allow this to get to him initially but when

their prophesy of him becoming the Thane of Cawdor comes true, he takes their

other words a lot more seriously. He then puts into action the killing of King

Duncan. By this move, he is able to take the throne. This finalizes the witches

initial prediction of Macbeth becoming the king. His rule of Scotland is very

tumultuous and questions arise of his ability of being able to rule properly and

his previous actions. He then murders his friend Banquo and then again consults

the witches. They provide him with three more prophesies. One to beware of

Macduff, one that he cannot be killed by any man born of woman, and the final

saying he can?t be killed until Birnam Wood moves. Delighted by this news,

Macbeth is filled with more false hopes and confidence. But inevitably his

belief and trust in his ability to know the future and be filled with such

confidence catches up to him. He is overwhelmed by all the true prophesies given

by the witches and his eventual overthrow by Macduff. The story of Macbeth is

basically a story of one man?s attempts to control the future. Macbeth uses

all his abilities and all his resources to try and accomplish this, but in the

end it fails him. He bases all of his actions on his knowledge of the future and

his attempts to change it. The whole story is based around the idea of his

knowledge of what is to happen, and his attempts to change that towards his own

benefit. It provides him with the false hopes that were an eventual contributor

to his downfall.