The Metaphysical Occurrences In Macbeth Essay, Research Paper

The Metaphysical Occurrencences In Macbeth

The Three witches in the tragedy Macbeth are introduced right at the beginning of

the play. They tell Macbeth three prophesies, he will be Thane of Cawdor, Thane of

Glams and King. These prophesies introduce him to ideas of greatness. Macbeth will

eventually follow through on killing king Duncan. This brings into the play, idea of fate

and the role with which it has in the play.

The witches could foretell the future, they can add temptation, and influence

Macbeth, but they can not control his destiny. Macbeth creates his own anguish when he is

driven by his own sense of guilt. This causes him to become insecure as to the reasons for

his actions which in turn causes him to commit more murders. The witches offer great

temptation, but it is in the end, each individuals? decision to fall for the appeal, or to be

strong enough to resist their captivation. The witches are only responsible for the

introduction of these ideas and for further forming ideas in Macbeth head, but they are not

responsible for his actions throughout the play. Lady Macbeth is shown early in the play as

an ambitious woman with a single purpose. She can manipulate Macbeth easily. This is

shown in the line “That I may pour my spirits in thine ear”. (I,V, 26)

Before the speech that Lady Macbeth gives in act one scene five, Macbeth is resolved

not to go through with the killing of the king. However, Lady Macbeth says that it would

be on his manliness and his bravery if he didn?t. This then convinces Macbeth to commit

regicide.

Although Macbeth has the final say in whether or not to go through with the initial

killing, he loves his wife and wants to make her happy. She is the dominating individual in

the relationship which is shown in her soliloquy, ?This have I thought good to deliver thee,

my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose dues by rejoicing by being

ignorant of what greatness is promised the. Lay it to thy heart, and Farewell.?(I, V, 7-10)

Once Macbeth kills for the first time, he has no choice but to continue to cover up his

wrong doings, or risk loosing everything he has worked so hard for. In the end, it all

comes to Macbeth himself.

Everyone is responsible for his own destiny. This is an essential theme in this tragedy.

Macbeth, chooses to gamble with his soul and when he does this, it is only him who

chooses to lose it. He is responsible for anything he does and must take total

accountability for his actions. Macbeth is the one who made the final decision to carry out

his actions. He made these final decisions and continued with the killings to cover that of

King Duncan.

The killing of Duncan starts an unstoppable chain of events in the play that ends with

the murder of Macbeth and the suicide of Lady Macbeth. In the beginning, Macbeth had

all of the qualities of an honorable gentleman who could become anything. This is all

shattered when his spirit overrides his sense of honorability. Although Macbeth is warned

as to the validity of the witches prophesies, he is tempted and refuses to listen to reason

from Banquo.

When the second set of prophesies Macbeth receives begin to show their faults

Macbeth blames the witches for deceiving him with half truths. While the witches are not

totally responsible for the actions of Macbeth, they are responsible for introducing the

ideas to Macbeth which in turn fired up Macbeth’s ambition and led to a disastrous and

unnecessary chain of events.