Going to Cuba
7 years ago
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Fate vs. Free Will
The three witches meet Macbeth on the heath and offer him a prophecy in the very beginning of the play. They hail him as both “Thane of Cawdor” and king, when he is only the Thane of Glamis. Was Macbeth doomed to die or could he have had a different destiny if he had made different choices? Similarly, do poor or unfortunate people of today put too much blame for their situation on fate or “bad luck” when they should take responsibility and work harder to take control of their lives? Or, on the other hand, do you believe that we should be more helpful and understanding of those who are less fortunate and recognize that sometimes people fail because of situations outside of their own control?
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I personally think that Macbeth had a personal choice of whether or not to make those choices. The witches told him he was to be Thane of Cawdor and King because they knew that with the knowledge of the prophecy he was to committ all those crimes. I think people use the lame excuse of fate to justify their actions. I think that sometimes it is out of their own control when the "bigger" picture is involved. We could all learn to help and understand other peoples choices and decide whether or not they are in control or not in control at all.
ReplyDeleteThe prophocies chose Macbeths fate, not himself...
ReplyDelete-Negithekitty
Macbeth wasn't doomed to die he couldhave made his owne fate, but becasue of the witches he got it through his head it was to go the way they state and no other way. They blame bad luck when they should blame thmselves becasue you set your own fate. We should be more helpful and caring to those that try to win but it wasn't their doings that set them up to fail.
ReplyDelete~Kai Smith
i feel that all people control their own destiny so they can change it. macbeth lead himself to his own demise by clouding his head with the greed for power
ReplyDelete~Juan Valdez
People put all the blame on others instead of just taking a second to stop and think about their actions. Macbeth didn't have to become a tyrant, the prophecies didnt force him to do the things he did, those ultimately were his own decisions
ReplyDeleteJbreezey
MAcbeth could have choosen his own fate and did not have follow the prophocies, but he did and this later on caused his death.
ReplyDelete~ neverhide101
In my opinion, Macbeth had control over his decisions once the prophecies had been told, but he no control over the final outcome of his actions. His final fate was predetermined and nothing he could change it. His could've done things differently, but in the end, it would be the same outcome. I think that this is Shakespeare's way of arguing that people don't really have control over their actions once fate takes over.
ReplyDeleterebels759
Juan, you have a good point, the one that i was going to make, i planted a conversation starter with my first post and you fell in to it, now who else could have changed their destinies?
ReplyDelete-negithekitty
Macbeth was never truely doomed. Everyone has free will, if you believe in fate then that of coarse is going to make you make decision that will allow for that to happen. Random events that happen in a person life that seem to be bad luck is just really circumstances that the person walk into unknowingly. Many people could control your fate but only you can create it.
ReplyDelete-Darkwallce
I feel that Macbeth definitly could have went about those prophecies differently he was not forced by fate to commite murder or do anything else. I see people use "bad luck" or "fate" as an excuse all the time but in the end it is how you prepare for the situation. As much time or effoert you put into something is how much you will get out of it.
ReplyDelete-Bull3t12
Macbeth had control of his actions but yet again the witches directed him through his journey. They told him the prophecy and he did what he could to prevent it from happening which he made his own choices. In some ways we need to be more helpful and understanding depending on the situation at hand. But in others not so much.
ReplyDeletemjq16
To start with, in the story of Macbeth, I feel that Macbeth made the choices himself and that the prophecies didn't make the choices for him, he chose to kill Duncan, all be it because of the prophecies, all though the prophecies told Macbeth he would be king, it was not the prophecies that made it happen, he made it happen himself. so to answer the question, i do not think that Macbeth was doomed to die if he had made different choices and gained the favor of his subjects he might have stayed king longer. I believe that poor and unfortunate people of today do put to much blame on fate or "bad luck" because there are plenty of ways to make yourself less unfortunate, most people are just too lazy to get themselves up and find a job, they would rather wallow in self pity and ask for money from complete strangers instead of actually getting a job.
ReplyDelete~rebelball61
Macbeth had a choice from the beginning. Just like everyone else in this world. You mkae choices and you learn from them. It is called free will like Darkwallace said. In the end it's all up to you at the end of the day to decide how you want to have you life. Yes there will be those rocky paths but that's when it's truly a test to see if overall you're the person you want to be. And if you fail then you live and learn it.
ReplyDelete-Renee04
macbeth had a choice to control his own destiny but when the witches told him the prophocies he got it in his mind that thats wat had to happen fore him to be stoped and when the prophocies started happing he belived he could do nothing to stop it. But he could of he just didn't try and he got it stuck in his mind that he could do nothing to stop it.
ReplyDelete- king
Well to start off, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth chose to do the first murder of Duncan so that Macbeth could be king, but only because Macbeth had already spoken to the witches and been told the prophecy. They only came upon that idea because he was AWARE that there was a possibilty of him being king. If that wouldn't have happened in the first place, then they might not have engaged in the action of murdering Duncan.
ReplyDeleteBut, the prophecies could have easily been changed throughout the play if he didn't continue to kill everyone that was in his way of keeping the throne. Yes, sometimes there are things that happen that you can't control. But in this case, Macbeth did have the ability to control it. Instead he became blood thirsty and started killing just for the fun of it. These were his own actions, not fate.
-sunshine1721
I believe that the witches prophecies were not the reason why MacBeth experienced what he did I think That it was because of his own free will. If you believe that this is true you would also have to say that modern day physics can truly tell the future sorry if you believe in this but I don’t. this reminds me of a saying that parents always tell their kids “you can do anything that you set your mind to” this is exactly what is happening in this story the witches have convinced MacBetrh and his mind is set.
ReplyDeleteK*P
macbeth had complete control over the choices he made. he wanted the crown that much so he decided to do anything he had to to get it. when the withches told him the prophocies he got it in his head that he really wanted to be king. once he knew that he obviosly did anything he had to.
ReplyDelete-lorraine
I think in the long run Macbeth had the freewill to do what he wanted, i think that because of the witches and the illusion of him being a king in the beginning it sounded good to him so he wanted that chance. I think to an extent with some situations there may be a bigger picture in life and it was fate, but to the smaller chances i believe that, that action would be from someones own freewill.
ReplyDelete-Munchy21
i agree with brine warior 100%. if the witches had never told macbeth that he was going to be king he would have never have gotten the idea. since they did tell him however it aroused intrest in him and it lead to him killing duncan and takeing the crown himself. then after that since the prophecies "came true" he believed that it was fate, but chances are that if the witches never told him about it then he would have never thought that he would be king and would never have killed dunkin in the first place.
ReplyDelete-DL1
I also agree with brine warrior. when the witches told him he was going to be king the thought got planted into his mind. He still had the free will to control his fate and not become power hungry, but since the witches had prophecised he was going to become king the seen in his mind grew making him kill Duncan.
ReplyDelete-Chocolate Rain
The witches told MacBeth and Banquo the prophecy that MacBeth will be king and Fleance will one day be king and MacBeth reacted to this by killing Duncan, therefore starting the chain reaction. After becoming King, MacBeth has Banquo killed, but Fleance escapes.
ReplyDeletei think that macbeth had a choice in the matter but was to power hungry to just go on living his life the way he was
ReplyDeletetunerslug
alright negithekitty if the prophacies are the only thing that can deside his fate then wehat would have happened if they never told him? would he have still gotten power hungery or would he just sat back and been happy with being thane of cawdor?
ReplyDelete~ Cataru
I believe that Macbeth was responsible for his death because he could have waited to see if someday he would have been kings instead of killing duncan and the others. i also think that people who are less fortunate should blame it on fate because they could ahave tried harder to pursue what the wanted but gave up when something bad happened.
ReplyDelete-Llama Z
i think tunerslug is right. macbeth had the chance to continue on living his normal lifestyle but he chose to choose the lifestyle of murder and dishonesty.
ReplyDeleteMcLovin <3
Macbeth could have choice his own fate by making the right choices. he didnt have to kill, that could have been left to lady macbeth. also i think that we should pay more attention to the outside people because if something happensd to them outside of there power then they neede more help on how to understand it or deal with the situtation.
ReplyDelete-bugg
I think that everyone always has free will. That won't be changed by any scenario. Fate is fate, however. What I mean by that is that if it is prophesied by a true prophet or witch then it will come true, no matter how deceitful it might be. Free will, in turn, usually brings about one's fate...
ReplyDeleteiliketurtles
personally i believe that there is a consequence for everything good or bad. I think that Macbeth could have had a different destiny if he were to make the right choices. Poor or unfortunate people today got themselves where they are now. Sure sometimes fate is sometimes out of your hands but usually you control what happens.
ReplyDeletepersonally i believe that there is a consequence for everything good or bad. I think that Macbeth could have had a different destiny if he were to make the right choices. Poor or unfortunate people today got themselves where they are now. Sure sometimes fate is sometimes out of your hands but usually you control what happens.
ReplyDelete~goobies:)
Macbeth put himself in to fates hands with out a stuggle he tryed to make fate either happed as hard as he could or to stop it from happening as hard as he could. In the end he always started a chain reaction to his death. From the beginning of the play he had a choise to believe or not believe and he even could have just forgotten the whole deal. If he hadn't herd his fate than maybe he would have lived a few more years and died in an better battle. The witches did know how all of this would have played out and they on purpose tryed cause it to happen by telling macbeth.
ReplyDeleteMissbell105
i don't think macbeth was doomed from the beginning because i believe that you make your own fate by the choices you make. So macbeth's downfall was all his fault
ReplyDeleteMurbs
I think Macbeth had complete control over what happened. Had he not chosen to kill the King, he would have lived just fine as Thane of Cawdor. And i think that whoever says they had bad luck or it was fate's fault that something happened is just trying to blame their bad moves on some outside source.
ReplyDelete-KottonmouthKing
in fate or free will it is kinda of a wierd subject. you have control of eveything you do unless out of the blue some thing good or maybe happeneds
ReplyDeletei think macbeth could have changes his fate to some degree. at the end fleance didnt become king, when in fact the original prophecy said he was to become king. malcolm ended up king, and he was nowhere in the prophecy. I think macbeth might not have been been able to escape death or punishment, but i do think the way and why he was killed could have changed a little.
ReplyDeleteBill
I feel that all people control their own destiny so they can change it.It may not always turn out the way you want but its your path and it will become the way of life. Macbeth lead himself to his own demise by clouding his head with the greed for power and the prophecies of the witches!
ReplyDeleteCRebel
I believe that to some degree we have a fate but i also believe that we can make our own fate. i think that we need to cut people a break when they are at a rough time in thier life because we've all been there and i bet if someone showed some care it would have made it a little better.
ReplyDelete-Usernameunknown
the prophecies that were told to macbeth led him to become a killing machine. he was told that he was king, or was going to be, but realistically he wasn't. with that said, he developed a thirst for power. this led to the killing of Duncan who was currently king, and the killing of his men. macbeth then had no choice but to kill Banquo...and the list goes on. the prophecy started this chain of murder and if it didnt exist then there would've been no reason in macbeth's mind to kill duncan and try to become king.
ReplyDelete-funnybunny
i beleave that free will would eventualy become fate because when you try to change fate with free will u would ensure that it would come true
ReplyDelete-hondo
If you were standing at the edge of a cliff looking down at all the things happening at the bottom and a witch popped up out of nowhere and told you that in one minute you were going to jump off the cliff would you do it. It would be your free will to not jump off the cliff and go home. Just because some witch told you it was you it is you fate doesnt mean it has to happen.
ReplyDelete-Sly Turtle
It's all about the free will, fate is what you make it and no only way you can change that is by changing yourself.
ReplyDelete-The one!
I agree with Murbs. Because of the choices that Macbeth made, he was dooming himself. The witches gave him a prophecy that they probably shouldn't have, but Macbeth reacted to that in the worst way possible. He had the ball in his own court. In many ways, life and its unfortunate happenings relate a lot to Macbeth. You can either take what life has to offer you and come out of it a better person, or you can say screw it and give up. Every person goes through something that has potential to alter the way that they feel about life and its "fairness". However, its the poeple that come out of it stonger and better that show true courage.
ReplyDelete-Rielly Kelly
we should be more helpful and understanding of those who are less fortunate and recognize that sometimes people fail because of situations outside of their own control. alot of people are judged when they shouldn't be. sometimes you have to do things you don't want to or that other poeple dont want you to because that is what it takes to solve the bigger situtations going on in life. yhou cant help it all the time but you have to do what you have to do and others should learn how to respect the ones that are trying.
ReplyDelete-Voltage!
If I were told a prophecy about me I don't know if I would try to fight my fate, pursue my fate, or not do anything. In all three scenarios one could end up dead just like MacBeth.
ReplyDelete-indestructotank
-sly turtle makes a really good point in this one because if someone told you to jump off a cliff you obviously wouldnt do it, so you dont always have to follow fate you can always walk away and do something else.
ReplyDelete-Llama Z
personally i believe that you dont get to choose your whole fate. however there are parts of it that are very easy to choose. an example: if you are faced with the option of and apple or a chocolate bar, which one you pick will determine the outcome of your life.
ReplyDelete~Cataru
I agree with several of the people on here. Macbeth was not forced to go through with the prophecies, but could have instead written his own fate. Macbeth believed that his fate was to be king, therefore he wrote his own death sentence. I dont believe there is a way to tell what will happen in the future, nor do i believe that fate can decide anything for you, or in fate at all. We live OUR lives and decide for OURSELVES.
ReplyDeleteend_samsara