What does Macbeth suggest about fate and free will, considering the quote from act 1, scene 3?

William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth suggests that fate and free will both play important roles in shaping an individual’s action and influencing the course of history. Because Macbeth believes the witches’ prophecies that he will become King of Scotland, he assumes that fate will lead him to that position. In the quoted line, he seems to say that he does not see the need to do anything but rather can leave it up to chance. However, his subsequent actions show that he does not actually believe that. Instead, he uses the idea of fate to rationalize his increasingly violent behavior.

Shakespeare shows repeatedly that Macbeth had free will. He uses his conviction that gaining the crown is inevitable as a justification for the drastic measures he takes in his quest to make that happen. Macbeth tries to hide behind the idea of fate as a reason for his killing King Duncan and others and ordering the murder of Macduff and his innocent children. Shakespeare makes it clear that Macbeth—while often strongly influenced by his wife—makes numerous independent decisions that ultimately lead to his downfall.

In Macbeth, can you find an example of fate or free will in act 3?

At the end of act 3, scene 4, Macbeth feels that he is very much the victim of fate. His feast has just been disturbed by the ghost of Banquo and, even before this, the murderers have informed him of their failure to kill Fleance. This escape lends weight to the notion that Fleance is fated to be King of Scotland, though one might argue that the cause lies in Banquo's exercise of free will. He chose to send Fleance away and face the murderers alone.

At this point in the play, however, Macbeth, demonstrates that, far from being the plaything of fate, he continues to exercise agency in maintaining his tyranny. When he says that Macduff has been avoiding him intentionally, and Lady Macbeth asks how he knows this, Macbeth replies:

I hear it by the way; but I will send:
There's not a one of them but in his house
I keep a servant fee'd. I will to-morrow,
And betimes I will, to the weird sisters:
More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know,
By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good,
All causes shall give way: I am in blood
Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er...

There are several points here that pertain to Macbeth's free will. The first is that he has, of his own volition, established a network of spies to report to him on the words and deeds of all his thanes. This appears to be entirely his own idea. He then says that he will go and seek further advice from the witches. They have not summoned him. He will go to them and force them to speak. Macbeth then says that every other consideration must take second place to his "own good," a definitive statement of self-interest and self-determination. He ends by saying, not that he is fated to go on killing, but that it would be "tedious" to try being virtuous now. In this fairly short passage, therefore, there are four separate indications that Macbeth acts of his own volition.

In Macbeth, can you find an example of fate or free will in act 3?

Fate is defined as events outside of a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power. Free will is a person's choice regarding the events of his or her own life, such as what career path to follow.

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the title character's fate is prophesied by the three witches. They tell him he will be Thane of Cawdor and then king. He sets about making this fate come true through acts of his own free will.

In act 3, Macbeth has become king by murdering Duncan. He is now bothered by the prophecy of the witches that his descendants will not sit on the throne but instead Banquo's will. Since this knowledge torments him, he once again tries to intervene with fate by devising a plan to kill Banquo and Fleance.

Unfortunately for Macbeth, his attempts at bending fate fail, and the prophecy stands when Fleance escapes the murderers appointed by Macbeth and Hecate intervenes to scramble Macbeth's understanding so that he will fail because of his own pride. Here is part of Hecate's speech from act 3, scene 5:

He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear

His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear.

And you all know, security

Is mortals' chiefest enemy.

Can you provide an example of fate or free will in Act 4 of Macbeth?

In act 4, scene 1, the apparitions that appear to Macbeth predict that Macbeth should "Beware Macduff," that "none of woman born shall harm Macbeth," and also that "Macbeth shall never vanquished be until / Great Birnham Wood to high Dunsinane Hill / Should come against him." These three predictions are presented as fate. Later in the same scene Macbeth is shown a line of eight kings, followed by the ghost of Banquo who smiles at Macbeth while pointing to the line of kings. Macbeth understands this as a glimpse into a future that is fated to happen. The future is ruled by Banquo's descendants on the throne that he, Macbeth, currently occupies.

At the end of act 4, scene 1, Macbeth insists that he will, from this moment on, act more decisively, and more impulsively. He says that "The very firstlings of my heart shall be / The firstlings of my hand." This declaration seems to be Macbeth's response to the fates he has just been presented with. It is perhaps a vain attempt to assert his own free will in the face of a fate that has already been set out. This sets up one of the tensions that defines the remainder of the play, between Macbeth's will to direct his own fate on the one hand, and fate's indifference to Macbeth's free will on the other.

In act 4, scene 3, Macduff tries to convince Malcolm to join him in fighting against Macbeth. Macduff bemoans the fact that good people don't take it upon themselves to fight against tyranny. He says that Scotland will continue to bleed because "goodness dare not check thee." In other words, as long as people accept the tyranny that befalls them, without drawing upon their own free will to protest or fight against it, then such tyranny will live on. The idea here is that what can seem like fate, or inevitable and unchangeable, can be overturned if only people believe in their own free will to act. What is perceived as fate only becomes so, or as good as fate, when people don't act.

Can you provide an example of fate or free will in Act 4 of Macbeth?

In the first scene of Act Four, the witches conjure up three spirits that make three separate predictions about Macbeth's future. The first, a disembodied head, warns him to "beware the Thane of Fife," i.e., Macduff. The second, a bloody child, tells Macbeth to

Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to 
scorn The power of man, for none of woman born 
Shall harm Macbeth. 

The third apparition, a "child crowned, with a tree in his hand" assures the king that

Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until 
Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill 
Shall come against him. 

These prophecies fill Macbeth with confidence, suggesting that he is fated to be safe against all opponents. But then he sees a final vision, one of the murdered Banquo and seven of his descendents, all of whom wear the crown of Scotland. This suggests that Banquo's line will be kings, not Macbeth's which deeply disturbs him. Still, takes solace in the prophecies. His confidence is short-lived, however, as he hears that the army approaching his castle disguises itself with limbs from the trees from Birnam, giving the appearance of a forest marching on the Dunsinane. Then, just before his climactic battle with Macduff, he discovers that the Thane of Fife was not, strictly speaking, born of woman, but taken by Caesarian section. His fate, forecast in Act Four, comes true, but not in the way he expected.

How does the theme of "fate versus free will" evolve in Act 4, Scene 1, of Macbeth?

There is an interesting tension within Macbeth between free will and fate: on the one hand, Macbeth does clearly assert agency (after all, he actively engineers his rise to power and the same can be said of his eventual downfall), but at the same time, you might get a sense, reading this play, that the power of fate is something too great for any one person to truly resist or overcome.

This is perhaps most clearly illustrated in the example of Banquo, whose children are prophesied to become kings. If we look toward Shakespeare's own time, Banquo was believed to be an ancestor to the Stuarts (including Shakespeare's own patron, King James I of England and Scotland). This particular prophesy, then, would ultimately be fulfilled across a span of centuries.

Thus, there is a great deal of complication as to where free will begins and where it ends, because Macbeth is simultaneously culpable for his own crimes (an agent of his own ambition), but he is also subject to the manipulations and demands of fate (and even perhaps a pawn to them). The events of act 4, scene 1, maintain this tension; when the subject of prophesy returns, the repercussions of which will loom over the rest of the play.

In this scene, Macbeth again meets with the Witches and receives new prophesies (which he will misinterpret, to his eventual doom). Three apparitions are conjured. The first warns him of Macduff, the second famously states:

Be bloody, bold and resolute: laugh to scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth (4.1.79–81)

The next reads:

Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him. (4.1.92–94)

These prophesies describe Macbeth's eventual destruction at the hands of Malcolm and Macduff. As we find out later in the play, Birnam Wood will (in a sense) go on the march, and (later still) we'll learn that Macduff had been born from a C-section.

Thus, these prophesies are directly alluding to Macbeth's eventual downfall, but Macbeth himself misunderstands the meaning of the prophesies as relating to his own invulnerability. Thus, in his arrogance, he will proceed to underestimate the threat Malcolm and Macduff represent—a factor which does play a role in his eventual defeat.

In this respect, we again see the intertwining of free will and fate because, ultimately, while these prophesies are fulfilled to a certain degree, it's worth wondering how much they actually depend upon Macbeth's misinterpreting them to take effect (which brings us back to the subject of agency vis-a-vis Macbeth).

In Act 5 of Macbeth, can you provide an example of fate or free will?

In Act V, the play's last act, the forces of Macbeth and Malcolm fight for the kingdom. Macbeth, though nervous, relies on what seems the impossibility of two of the witches' prophecies: that Birnam Wood will come to Dunsinane and make him lose, and that he will not die by one of woman born.

Although Dunsinane is heavily fortified, it is vulnerable. When Malcolm's men get to Birnam Wood, they camouflage themselves with boughs cut from the trees and sneak through the forest to attack.

Macbeth learns that this prophecy has come at least partly come true, but sets off to fight them.

When he meets Macduff alone in a field, he still maintains Macduff won't kill him and tells him of his "charm." Macduff then reveals he came into the world premature through (today's) C-section: "Macduff was from his mother's womb untimely ripp'd."

Stunned but resolved to challenge a prophecy once more, Macbeth insists they fight. In the next, final scene, we learn that Macduff kills him.

In both cases, fate ultimately wins out. However, Macbeth still exercised free will in fighting fate until the last.

In Act 5 of Macbeth, can you provide an example of fate or free will?

In Act V scene 7, Macbeth describes his situation by refering to himself as a bear who has been staked and is now being baited. This comes after the news of the woods of Dunsinane coming towards his castle, which of course fulfills one of the prophecies of the witches that indicates his imminent downfall. Examine carefully what Macbeth says in response to this:

They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly,
But, bear-like, I must fight the course. What's he
That was not born of woman? Such a one
Am I to fear, or none.

There is a real sense in which fate is refered to here. It is uncertain who "They" are, but it is clear that whether it is the forces of fate, the witches or Malcolm's army, they have taken away Macbeth's ability to flee and escape and he has to face his destiny in the battle that is to come. As we can see from this quote, however, Macbeth is still confident and trusting in the words of the witches.

How does Act 5, Scene 5, in Macbeth relate to the theme of fate and free will?

Macbeth's soliloquy in Act 5, Scene 5, of the play that bears his name is a meditation on the meaninglessness and shortness of life. Macbeth speaks these words upon learning about the death of Lady Macbeth. He is facing his own downfall, but he does not know it yet. Yet Macbeth's thoughts are very much taken up by ideas of fate. Let's look at how his soliloquy demonstrates the theme of fate and free will.

Macbeth at this point thinks that he is invincible. The witches have delivered a prophecy that makes Macbeth think that the rule of Scotland is his. Yet now he discovers that his wife has died. He actually seems not to care all that much. He reflects on the shortness of life. Time goes by quickly, and death comes. There is no stopping it. Life is extinguished like a brief candle. It is just a shadow or a poor actor who plays his part and then leaves the stage. There is no meaning in life.

Does Macbeth have some doubts about his own life at this point? He claims he is invincible. He thinks no man born of woman can kill him. He thinks that no one will defeat him until the woods walk to him. Yet here he is talking about the shortness and meaningless of life. Perhaps deep down, Macbeth is less sure of his fate than he pretends to be. Perhaps his wife's death teaches him something that he does not care to fully admit, even to himself.

As for free will, Macbeth has actually gotten himself into his situation by his own free choices. No one forces him to kill Duncan or Banquo. He chooses to do that. Blaming fate or even the shadow or poor player of life does no good, and perhaps Macbeth knows that somewhere inside of himself.

What are five quotes about fate and free will in Macbeth?

Once King Duncan names his elder son, Malcolm, the Prince of Cumberland and heir to the throne, Macbeth says,

The Prince of Cumberland!  That is a step
On which I must fall down or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies (1.4.55-57).

Earlier, Macbeth had expressed his hope that "chance" would crown him king without having to do anything special to make it happen, just as he was named Thane of Cawdor without trying to acquire the title.  Now, however, Macbeth suggests that if he wants to become king, he is going to have to find a way to do it without being named Duncan's heir.  He must either "fall down" at this step, in other words, he must give up, or he must "o'erleap" this setback and jump over it to claim the crown for his own.  This sounds very much like free will.

In act 3, scene 2, when Hecate chastises the Weird Sisters for meddling with Macbeth without her, she tells them how to make it up to her.  She wants them to meet her at the Acheron, where, she says, "[Macbeth] / Will come to know his destiny" (3.5.16-17).  Such a line implies that there is such a thing as destiny or fate and that Macbeth's fate has already been laid out.

The statements made by the apparitions conjured by the Weird Sisters also imply the existence of fate or destiny.  The first tells Macbeth to "Beware the Thane of Fife!" (4.1.82).  The Thane of Fife is, indeed, the person who will kill Macbeth.  The second apparition tells him,

Be bloody, bold, and resolute.  Laugh to scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth (4.1.90-92).

This warning comes to fruition when Macbeth discovers that Macduff was not technically "born"; he was delivered via C-section.  Next, the third apparition tells him that,

Macbeth will never vanquished be until
Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill
Shall come against him.  (4.1.105-107)

This bears out when Malcolm orders his army to chop down boughs from the trees in Birnam and carry them in front of themselves in order to camouflage their numbers.  

Finally, the fourth sight shown to Macbeth is that of a line of eight kings, stretching out from Banquo's ghost.  Macbeth says that "the blood-boltered Banquo smiles upon me / And points at them for his" (4.1.138-139).  When Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, King James I of England sat on the throne, and this king was, in fact, distantly descended from Banquo.  Thus, this scene appears to be prophetic in that Banquo's descendants will become kings.  Since each of the apparitions' statements turn out to be true, they appear to support the interpretation that fate dictates the action of the play.

Does Macbeth determine his own fate?

That's the question, isn't it? This same question is central to lots of Shakespearean plays and becomes a theme that I think Shakespeare wants his audience to consider. Are we all victims of fate with preset destinies, or are we all making our own choices on the path of life?

I would argue that Macbeth makes his own choices. Sure, the witches hand him some prophesies that seem to have some truth. But Macbeth himself is the one who eventually decides to take Duncan's life—and in great part because of his wife, who insults his sense of manly honor and courage. Macbeth hesitates in his plans, revealing the nature of his conscience:

We will proceed no further in this business.
He hath honored me of late, and I have bought
Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
Not cast aside so soon. (I.vii.33-37)

He considers a different choice. Yet after Lady Macbeth questions his valor, he recommits to their plans.

In one of his most brutal choices, Macbeth has Macduff's entire family killed, including his wife, his children, and every servant whom he employs. This shows the reach of Macbeth's devastation; he becomes consumed in covering his murder and in forcing loyalty from his subjects, and he will stop at nothing to maintain his hold on power.

Macbeth hears the prophesies of the witches and then decides what to do with the information. In his arrogance, he can't discern that all of their words may not bring a favorable outcome to him. He hears that no man born of a woman can harm him and that he "shall never vanquished be until/ Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill/ Shall come against him." Instead of trying to determine whether these events are indeed possible, he simply allows the predictions to bolster his already healthy sense of pride and further his own plans of carnage.

Macbeth seeks power and fame, and he makes very intentional decisions to bring those plans to fruition. He's not a passive character who simply allows things to happen to him; he carves out plans that will bring him closer to his goals, no matter the cost.

Is Macbeth's downfall due to fate or free will?

This is a central question to Macbeth. Certainly, Shakespeare deliberately introduces an element of the supernatural into the play with the witches, whose prophecies for the future set the plot into motion. Their prediction that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor and "King thereafter" piques his ambition, and sets him on the murderous path that ends with his death. Later, their prediction that Macbeth could only be killed by one "not of woman born" embolden him, though eventually he discovers that this prophecy is referring to Macduff, born by a caesarian procedure. Yet it is not clear whether the witches are simply describing a future that is fated to occur, or whether Macbeth's own actions make it happen. Similarly, many have wondered whether Macbeth would have committed the crimes without the influence of his wife. Whether or not these events were preordained, or if they could have been avoided, it is clear that Macbeth's ambition drives him to commit horrible crimes, with the malevolent influence of the supernatural always pushing him along. 

Is Macbeth's downfall due to fate or free will?

It would seem that Shakespeare wanted Macbeth to be a sympathetic character and not just another villain like his Richard III. Shakespeare takes pains to make it appear that Macbeth was powerless to avoid doing exactly what he did and ending up exactly the way he ended up. In fact, Macbeth seems to be fighting against fate or destiny more than against any human enemy. For example, he has been told by the Weird Sisters that Banquo will father a whole line of kings. He tries to forestall fate itself by having Banquo killed--but Fleance escapes.

In Act 3, Scene 1, when he is thinking of having Banquo killed, he finishes his sololiquy with the lines:

Rather than so, come fate into the list,

And champion me to th' utterance.

He is challenging Fate itself to combat. This courageous attitude makes him a somewhat sympathetic character.

In Act 4, Scene 1, he is told by the First Apparition

Beware Macduff!

Beware the Thane of Fife!

But after being assured by the Second Apparition that no man of woman born can harm him, Macbeth says:

Then live, Macduff; what need I fear of thee?

But yet I'll make assurance double sure

And take a bond of fate.

To demand a bond of Fate is a wonderful concept. Once again he is opposing Fate.

Macbeth believes in fate or destiny and at the same time distrusts it. If it is his destiny to be king until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane, etc., then he will trust Fate; but if it is Banquo's destiny to father a whole dynasty of kings, then he will oppose Fate. In the end Fate proves invincible, and Macbeth is its hapless victim.

Is Macbeth's downfall due to fate or free will?

The most general consensus on a moral study of Macbeth is that he, of course, is to blame for all of the tragedies that befall him throughout the play. After all, it takes a man's conscious choice to commit to an act of murder. This is a common argument for the correlation between free will and the actions of Macbeth.

The primary question when determining to what extent fate plays a role in Macbeth is the degree of clairvoyance of which the Weird Sisters are capable. By their prophecy, it seems indeed that Macbeth is fated to be king. While it could be said that the witches were simply master manipulators who planted evil thoughts in Macbeth's head, they also made predictions about Banquo's descendants that lend far more credence to the idea that they are capable to some extent of predicting, or even influencing, the fates of lesser beings.

By this line of thinking, it could be argued that while Macbeth was indeed fated to be king, it was of his own free will that he chose to murder Duncan. This is a fairly solid hypothesis at which many, if not most, scholars of the work seem to arrive. However, there is more evidence that the threads of fate run much deeper in dictating Macbeth's actions, and the play is all the more tragic for it.

Every step leading up to Duncan's murder is filled with doubt and reluctance. After all, scheming and plotting is not at all in Macbeth's default nature. At his wife's constant prodding and with thoughts of grandeur, he convinces himself that Duncan's murder must be done. However, some occurrences hint that he may not be as in control of his actions as he thinks. One immediate and almost supernatural indicator that fate is pulling the strings is in act 2, scene 1:

Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.

As he is moments away from committing the murder, and possibly in the process of talking himself out of it, Macbeth sees, quite literally, a phantom dagger covered with blood pointing in Duncan's direction. Macbeth, though incredibly stressed, is also entirely lucid. He has none of the mania that plagued Hamlet during the latter's scheming. However, though he knows that it must be a hallucination, he can see the dagger as clear as he sees his wife, the castle, and the victim of his horrible crime. There could not be a clearer example of fate completely forcing a character's hand. When he tries to resist the deed that fate has decided for him, visions literally materialize out of the air, goading him on.

While it seems slightly less consequential to think of Macbeth's fate as preordained, the reality of it is cruel beyond imagining. The witches go on to prophesize far more specific events that could not have been foretold without some degree of clairvoyance, such as Macbeth being slain by Macduff—who was not "born of woman," but rather of a cesarean section.

As the situation darkens for Macbeth, particularly after his wife's suicide, he seems to completely resign himself to his fate, playing out his role like a puppet on stage. As he fortifies his defenses one last time after immediately hearing of his wife's death, he muses:

  She should have died hereafter.

There would have been a time for such a word.

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time,

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

What quotations in Macbeth depict the role of fate or destiny?

In Macbeth, the witches are harbingers of fate and destiny, and they lay the thematic foundation of the play at the end of the first scene in Act 1 when they say:  "Fair is foul, and foul is fair."  They warn the audience that not all will be as it seems and that those who are seemingly good will end up proving to be evil.  As events unfold, Macbeth questions the role that fate and destiny play in his life.  In Act 1 Scene 3, Macbeth says, "If Chance will have me King, why, Chance may crown me, without my stir."  At this point, Macbeth resolves that if he is supposed to become king, he will become so without having to exert his free will to intervene in the course of events.  Later, Macbeth's greed and ambitious drive cause him to go against this resolve, and he tries to take fate into his own hands.  Lady Macbeth also plays her role in thwarting fate by telling Macbeth to "look like th' innocent flower, but be the serpent under't."  She asks him to play false to hide his intention to kill Duncan, thereby falling into the paradox that the witches have set up in the first scene.

Is Macbeth controlled by fate or does he exercise his own free will?

In Macbeth, it is a matter of continuing debate whether Macbeth exercises his own free will, driven by his "vaulting ambition"(I.vii.27) and Lady Macbeth, his "Partner of Greatness"(I.v.9) or whether he is controlled by fate on such "foul and fair a day"(I.iii.38), receiving information from the witches that cause him to believe that it is his destiny to be King and he must commit heinous crimes in order to ensure his fate. 

Macbeth is clearly conflicted as is evident when he almost calls off the plan to murder Duncan, recognizing that it is only his ambition which "o'er leaps itself."(I.vii.27) Lady Macbeth's persuasion, as she questions his manliness, something which he has surely proven on the battlefield, is only one element that drives him closer to his ultimate ruin. There are many opportunities for him to allow the natural progression towards being king. He is already Thane of Cawdor so it is not unreasonable to expect further honors in his military pursuit. Banquo has also heard the witches prophesy that his descendants will be king but is not motivated to ensure this prophesy at all cost. Macbeth hears and acknowledges Banquo's warning and yet it still gives him "earnest of success"(I.iii.131) If Macbeth is at the mercy of fate, then he would not need to take any steps at all. It is his free will which single-mindedly compels him.

It is true that he is unstable and unable to assert himself sufficiently when confronted by his wife's unyielding behavior prior to Duncan's murder but that is because of his weak will and self-absorbed personality. Once he has killed Duncan, he does not stop to enjoy his new found position but rather allows neurotic tendencies to overwhelm him. Lady Macbeth, by whom he was apparently so influenced, tries to calm him, assuring him that "a little water clears us of this deed."(II.ii.67) She will in fact be driven to madness by her own guilt and yet Macbeth seems encouraged to murder his friend and stop at nothing.

He is certainly affected by the witches but he is the one who demands to hear that he is invincible and the witches play to his weakness as they recognize when "Something wicked this way comes,"(IV.i.45) meaning Macbeth. If fate is responsible for Macbeth's undoing, he would not seize control the way he does, even believing that "none of woman born"(80) can stop him. 

Examine the theme of fate versus free will in Macbeth.

This is an interesting question—one of the central dichotomies in the play is indeed that between fate and free will. Although the supernatural figures of the witches play a significant role in Macbeth's choices the two times that they give him prophecies, the play overall more supports the idea that Macbeth is responsible for his own choices and therefore has control over his actions.

For one thing, the witches are only depicted as creatures who foretell events. They are not shown in the play to have the power to change or manipulate the future; they only have some knowledge of it. For example, they do have knowledge that Macbeth is going to be named Thane of Cawdor before Macbeth is given the title. When they meet Macbeth and Banquo in act 1, scene 3, although they give prophecies to each, they do not give indications as to how the events will or should come to pass. Instead, they leave the prophecies in the hands of Macbeth and Banquo to interpret. One of the ways that the reader can support this idea is through the character of Banquo. Although Banquo does consider the witches' prophecies themselves, he is more concerned with their motives, thus showing that Macbeth was not mandated by the witches to act upon what they prophesied. Indeed, when Macbeth considers becoming king after the prophecies, he initially says, "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me / Without my stir" (act 1, scene 3, line 147). Only when he and his wife discuss the issue does he move seriously beyond this resolution into taking the matter into his own hands.

The end of the play further supports the ultimate free will of Macbeth. Rather than berating the witches in any way for their part in the tyranny that resulted in Macbeth's kingship, the play consistently speaks of Macbeth's fault. His beheading in the last scene represents the destruction of the villain of the story and the restoration of a good king.

Examine the theme of fate versus free will in Macbeth.

I am not sure exactly what you are looking for here, but I would think that the most likely way to talk about fate and free will in this play is by looking at Macbeth and the witches' prophecies.

You can argue that Macbeth is simply a victim of fate.  His fate has been decided and foretold by the witches.  Their prophecies all come true and there is nothing he can do about it.

On the other hand, you can point out how the prophecies do not just come true on their own.  Macbeth himself has to make choices that lead to the prophecies coming true and to his own doom.

In Macbeth, do you think Macbeth is a free agent or a victim of fate?

You already have brilliant information above, but I'll add a bit more to the collection. On a more pedestrian level, Macbeth faces two sets of forces, human and supernatural. The human forces, in the form of his own ambitions and Lady Macbeth's ambition, drive decisions while the supernatural forces, in the form of the bizarre witch sisters, drive the machinery of fate.

If we step away from the weird sisters for the sake of discussion, Lady Macbeth's scheming and soliciting of promises began before Macbeth's return from the gathering with Duncan, during which Macbeth's ambitions were disappointed. In addition, Macbeth's own ambitions and feelings of misuse were stirred by his own hand, not needing the stirring hands of the witches.

It is the combination of forces that create the Macbeth whom we follow in the play and who digs himself into such a devastating position of subservience (to Lady Macbeth), which was ironically devised to free him of subservience (to Duncan). Shakespeare seems to be drawing our attention to the idea that life is a mixture of will and fate instead of an exercise of free will or a domination by fate: It is a magical mixture akin to the boiling bubbling trouble of the witch's cauldron's mixture.

In Macbeth, do you think Macbeth is a free agent or a victim of fate?

None of us is a free agent in this world in terms of what we are born with in terms of genes, personality traits,physical attributes and intelligence/emotional capability and heredity is extremely important in this area although Shakespeare did not have access to our research back then - it is mind-boggling to think what more he could have done with that information! In the play "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare, the author does show us a character affected by Fate - poor Macbeth is afflicted by the frailnessess in his persoanality, his vulnerable mental and psychological stamina and,perhaps, by a traumatic childhood, although we can only guiess at the last one. Propensity for evil is another possibilty.

In Macbeth, do you think Macbeth is a free agent or a victim of fate?

This is an interesting question, since the answer depends on the viewpoint you consider. Macbeth, for example, clearly believes that he is a victim of fate. In Act I, Scene III, for instance, Macbeth talks a lot about fate ("chance") and its role in making him king:

If chance will have me king, why, chance may 

 crown me, 

Without my stir.

Similarly, when it comes to the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth believes that he is being guided by a dagger, as expressed in his famous dagger soliloquy.

The reader, however, is perhaps more inclined to view Macbeth as a free agent who allows his inner ambition to control the course of his own destiny. Remember that Macbeth is responsible for much of the violence in the play: he kills King Duncan, he orders the murder of Banquo and Fleance, and the family of  Macduff. Macbeth is, therefore, in control of his own actions and capable of making his own decisions.

Ultimately, Macbeth is a free agent, but by allowing himself to be influenced by his own ambition and the ambition of his wife, he guarantees his own downfall.

Which 4-5 quotes in Macbeth suggest that Macbeth is ruled by fate?

The issue of fate first arises in William Shakespeare's Macbeth in act 1, scene 3, when the witches appear to Macbeth and Banquo and make prophecies to each of them.

Are the prophecies possibilities, eventualities, or certainties? Do the witches shape Macbeth and Banquo's destinies, influence them, or simply reveal them? Is it necessary that Macbeth or Banquo actually do anything to fulfill the prophecies, or will the prophecies simply fulfill themselves?

Macbeth raises that question himself.

MACBETH: If chance will have me king, why, chance
may crown me
Without my stir. (1.3.155–157)

Lady Macbeth is the first person in the play who considers the prophecies as fate—as a predetermined, inevitable, unchangeable, uncontrollable course of events affecting Macbeth's life. Until Lady Macbeth appears in the play, Macbeth has thought of the witches simply as seers or prophets, not as harbingers of his fate, and he's considered the prophecies as possibilities, not immutable facts.

At the beginning of act 1, scene 5, Lady Macbeth is reading a letter from Macbeth telling her about the witches and the prophecies. She seems not to question for even a moment the role of fate in the prophecies.

LADY MACBETH. Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear,
And chastise with the valor of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round,
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
To have thee crown'd withal. (1.5.22–27)

Lady Macbeth decides to do whatever she can, by whatever means she can, to ensure that Macbeth's fate is fulfilled. A messenger arrives to tell Lady Macbeth that King Duncan is coming to Macbeth's castle, and the inevitability of Macbeth's fate becomes apparent to Lady Macbeth. The circumstances that allow for Macbeth to become king are already changing in his favor.

The prophecy to Banquo, "Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none" (1.3.70), is often overlooked as a factor in Macbeth's fate. Macbeth recognizes this possibility early in the play. He raises the issue twice in act 1, scene 3. The first time he mentions it is shortly after the witches exit the scene, after making their prophecies.

MACBETH. Your children shall be kings. (1.3.89)

Macbeth raises the issue again after Ross tells Macbeth that he's now Thane of Cawdor, which, to Macbeth's mind, lends significant, troubling credence to the prophecies.

MACBETH. Do you not hope your children shall be kings,
When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to me
Promised no less to them? (1.3.127–129)

In act 3, scene 1, after he has become king, Macbeth is still thinking about the prophecy to Banquo. Macbeth believes that simply fulfilling the prophecy about becoming king isn't sufficient to maintain his throne, because the prophecy to Banquo could manifest itself at any moment. Paradoxically, Macbeth calls on his fate to help him change Banquo's fate.

MACBETH. ...For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind,
For them the gracious Duncan have I murdered,
Put rancors in the vessel of my peace
Only for them, and mine eternal jewel
Given to the common enemy of man,
To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!
Rather than so, come, Fate, into the list,
And champion me to the utterance! (3.1.69–76)

Although Macbeth's fate and Banquo's fate are intertwined, their fates aren't necessarily exclusive. Their fates needn't occur at the same time but can conceivably be sequential, not necessarily immediate. Macbeth fears, however, that Fleance or another of Banquo's sons not yet born will challenge him for the throne and possibly kill him, and that such action is imminent.

Macbeth fails to consider that one of Banquo's sons might simply assume the throne by some means other than by killing Macbeth—perhaps even after Macbeth's natural death. What motivates Macbeth at this point, however, is not simply staying alive and remaining king, but also providing for his posterity.

One argument against fate ruling Macbeth's life is found in Hecate's speech in act 3, scene 5.

HECATE. ... [T]his night I'll spend
Unto a dismal and a fatal end.
Great business must be wrought ere noon:
Upon the corner of the moon
There hangs a vaporous drop profound;
I'll catch it ere it come to ground.
And that distill'd by magic sleights
Shall raise such artificial sprites
As by the strength of their illusion
Shall draw him on to his confusion.
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
His hopes ’bove wisdom, grace, and fear. (3.5.20–31)

Hecate intends to use her magic to confuse Macbeth and make him behave irrationally. In this speech, Hecate suggests that she can control Macbeth's actions, but the audience never sees Hecate actually put her plan into effect.

It's important to remember that many Shakespeare scholars believe that the character of Hecate was added to the play by another playwright at a later time. This might account for what appears to be Hecate's manipulation of Macbeth's fate or her attempt to influence Macbeth's actions, which might not represent Shakespeare's original intent.

In the apparition scene in act 4, scene 1, Macbeth again tempts fate after an apparition tells him that "none of woman born" can harm him.

SECOND APPARITION. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to
scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.

MACBETH. Then live, Macduff. What need I fear of thee?
But yet I'll make assurance double sure,
And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live,
That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,
And sleep in spite of thunder. (4.1.87–95)

Macbeth takes these two pronouncements by the apparitions to support his vision of his invincibility and the inevitability of his victory over Macduff, but little does he realize that his vision of his fate and the actual course of events in his life might well be two completely different things.

Is Macbeth guided by destiny or free will?

Concerning free will and predestination in Shakespeare's Macbeth, our views on whether or not people have free will are irrelevant.  Macbeth is a character in a play, not a human being.  In answering this or any other question about a work of art, what matters is what's in the work of art. 

What's for sure is that Shakespeare raises the issue in the play and reflects questions that were on the minds of thinkers in his day.  Predestination vs. free will was an issue in Shakespeare's time, as, in fact, it still is today.  Shakespeare's play reflects this.  The issue may be seen as a refinement or continuation of the question of fate, which goes back at least as far as the Greeks.

The fact is that in the play the issue is ambiguous, and an argument can be made supporting that Macbeth was controlled by fate, or that Macbeth maintained free will. 

At the heart of the issue are the witches.  Do they really know the future?  Do they just know the future, or do they control it, too?  Or are they just insightful and well-informed? 

Magic and the supernatural were acceptable ingredients in Elizabethan theatre, so they certainly cannot be easily dismissed and explained away.

Another aspect of the question centers on how ambitious Macbeth was before the witches started making their predictions.  There is evidence that he was and that he wasn't, but nothing conclusive. 

One certainty in the play is that once Macbeth makes it past the assassination of Duncan and the killing of the grooms, he keeps his wife out of the decision-making process, orders more killings, and seeks out the witches again on his own to get more information and reassurance.  That much is sure. 

But as to the extent of fate or predestination influencing him to murder Duncan, you'll have to look at the evidence in the text and decide for yourself. 

I agree with this post; one of the main themes set forth by Shakespeare in Macbeth is the questioning of unchecked ambition. If Macbeth always had unchecked ambition, then you can argue that his encounter with the witches really only acted as a catalyst to actions that would have occurred anyway; however, one may argue that the witches were the only factor to springboard Macbeth's debauchery.

Either side of the argument has a strong basis with supporting evidence. If one would argue that it is fate, then one may bring up the pathetic fallacy that occurs throughout the play (owls screaming, crickets crying, mad horses, etc.), for this literary element demonstrates the Karmic forces of fate. If one would argue otherwise, then one may bring up Banquo's character; Banquo is very similar to Macbeth is stature (which is why he ends up being his foil), and he hears the same prophecies, yet he does not act on this news.

Is Macbeth guided by destiny or free will?

I agree with post #2 about the fact that Macbeth may be influenced by the witches, but he is ultimately the decision maker around the killings. I do not agree, however, that the illusion of the dagger, and Banquo's ghost is different from fate or destiny. If we look at the knocking, voices, and visions that Macbeth hears and sees, we can find a connection between the witches' presence (in spirit form) and Macbeth's delusions. All of these symbolize corruption in Scotland. Can we not interpret the prophecies as fate or an external force working on Macbeth? I do believe that he allows the witches to drive him to plot the murders because he seeks them and realizes their visions.

Is Macbeth guided by destiny or free will?

I agree with Post #3--the issue could go either way depending on the reader's/viewer's interpretation of the play.  When looking at the witches' prophecy for example, one could argue that fate had predetermined Macbeth's outcome--the witches predicted all that would happen to Macbeth.  On the other hand, one could argue that Macbeth enacted free will in the situation--the witches told him that he would be King of Scotland, but they did not tell him how he would end up in that position.  Macbeth made a free decision to kill the king for his title.  Similarly, many of the details in the play could be interpreted from both angles.

Is Macbeth guided by destiny or free will?

In the play "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare, the author shows us a man whose actions go out of control - towards the end of the play it is difficult to see how much of this is Fate or destiny and how much is his own fault. One interpretation is that if we picture fate as being in our genes (in other words our body/personality codes are all mapped out for us before we are even born and drive our actions on a certain trajectory) then we could say that Macbeth was bound (by fate,birth or genes) to end up doing what he did. Environment influences how far this has an effect, Macbeth learnt somewhere that his actions were wrong - Macbeth says "Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis all As the weird women promised;and,I fear Thou play'dst most foully for't." -

Is Macbeth guided by destiny or free will?

In my opinion, all people have free will and can do what they want.  I do not see anything in Macbeth that makes me think that he is not choosing to do the things he does.

The witches' prophecies do, of course, influence him to act.  However, he has to interpret the words they say and it is his actions that make the prophecies come true, for the most part.

If Macbeth were being controlled by destiny, I do not think he would have felt so guilty.  I do not think he would have seen the ghost of Banquo or the bloody dagger.

I think Macbeth is just a normal human being who is influenced to act in some way, but the choice is ultimately his -- he is just influenced, not forced.

Was Macbeth a pawn of fate or an agent of free will in Shakespeare's Macbeth?

I would say that Macbeth would be described as a pawn of fate. He starts out as a great warrior that everyone is impressed with. His King promotes him to Thane of Cawdor and that is all free will. However, once he meets the witches, in my opinion, he becomes a PAWN of fate. The three ugly sisters make prophecies and he follows them. While he still has free will, your use of the word PAWN causes me to think that he would have to be judged as such. The witches make suggestions, but he follows them. It's true that these decisions are up to him, but the witches are manipulating him into doing things. Once they get him started, others, particularly Lady Macbeth, are able to influence his decisions. At the end, he falls victim of the witchs' prophecies and there is nothing left for him to do but succumb.

How is fate depicted in Macbeth?

In Macbeth, fate is made to seem like an unquestionable force, something that determines and directs the course of our lives. It is made to seem this way by the Weird Sisters and the way they speak to Macbeth and Banquo about their futures. When the witches hail Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and the future king, they do so without qualification; there is no if this, then that. They simply present him with what appear to be facts about Macbeth's future without saying what actions he must take to become Thane of Cawdor or king. The same goes for Banquo; the witches tell him that he will father a line of kings without explaining how Banquo's lineage will rule.  

It is the same with the three apparitions the Weird Sisters later conjure for Macbeth. They present the king with two statements that seem to be assurances of a secure fate, but turn out to be enigmatically-worded statements of fact instead. The witches tell Macbeth that "none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth" and "Macbeth shall never vanquished be until / Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill / Shall come against him" (IV.1.91-92, 105-107). The witches seem to present fate as factual, non-negotiable, and out of one's hands; however, it is really Macbeth's own flaws that prevent him from seeing his tragic end is the result of his own behavior, not fate.

Does Macbeth control his destiny or is it determined by fate in Macbeth?

Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare provides an examination of the role of fate. In a play full of prophecies, it seems that one's fate is determined and free will has its limitations. However, Macbeth still makes his own choices that lead him to his destiny.

At first, Macbeth rebels against the idea that he has no control over his destiny. The initial prophecy of the witches seems to fly in the face of what he deems possible. How can he be king? Yet once events start to take shape, Macbeth begins to believe that he is indeed subject to the forces of fate.

However, if he is fated to rule Scotland, Macbeth must take deliberate action to make it happen. As he contemplates the killing of Duncan, Macbeth admits to himself that he would prefer it if he could become the king without committing such a heinous act as regicide.

If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me
Without my stir. (1.3, 142–143)

However, he realizes that such a convenient turn of events won't happen on its own.

Macbeth must take action to make the prophesies a reality. However, his terrible actions eventually get the better of him. His ambition gets out of control and Macbeth makes one ill-fated choice after another until his whole world is in ruins.

Although it may seem that Macbeth is the victim of fate, Shakespeare shows that Macbeth still exercises free will. By grabbing the imaginary dagger in act 2, scene 1, Macbeth is indicating that he chooses to fulfill the prophecy of the witches rather than let fate merely lead him where it may.

In Macbeth, explain whether Macbeth is controlled by fate or exercises his own free will. Give examples from the text to support your conclusion.

It is interesting to examine Act I scene 2 with regard to this question, which is the second time Macbeth is mentioned before he is actually introduced to the audience. Note how the Captain refers to Macbeth in the following quote where he talks about Macbeth's valour in the battle:

And Fortune, on his damned quarry smiling,

Show'd like a rebel's whore. But all's too weak;

For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name--

Disdaining Fortune, with his brandish'd steel,

Which smoked with bloody execution.

Even though Macbeth should have been vanquished because of the force and number of the enemy, he wasn't because he "disdained fortune" or went against fate. This is actually an incredibly important description, because it seems to signal, right from the beginning of the play, that Macbeth is a character who makes his own fate and does not let it be imposed upon him. This is reinforced throughout the play, especially when he chooses to make his fate happen by killing Duncan rather than merely waiting to see if the witches' prophecies will come to pass, as Banquo does.

What evidence supports fate vs. free will in Shakespeare's Macbeth?

 William Shakespeare's Macbeth was set in medieval Scotland, and all of the characters in the play would have been members of the Roman Catholic Church. Shakespeare himself was writing after the foundation of the Church of England, but on key issues of fate and free will, the theology is similar if not identical. The key issue in Macbeth of free will and fate is to a large degree theological.

Essentially, in Christian theology, all humans participate in Original Sin, but all have the opportunity to benefit from the sacrifice of Christ who died to redeem us from Original Sin, reconciling God to humanity. Our free will is irrelevant to this. The second type of sin is the actual sins we commit after baptism. This is where free will becomes important. We can only justly be blamed for our sins if we are free to choose to commit them or not; if we have no choice, it seems that it would be unjust for God to punish us for them (theologians refer to the problem of divine justice as theodicy). Thus moral choice requires free will. The great struggle, though, is how to reconcile foreknowledge with free will.

In the case of Macbeth, the evidence of such problematic foreknowledge occurs in the speeches of the three sisters who correctly foretell everything that happens in the play. Given that foreknowledge, and Macbeth's awareness of it, to what degree is it possible to blame Macbeth for his actions?

Shakespeare's plot structure emphasizes that at every step of the play Macbeth (aided and abetted by his wife) freely makes the decision to act immorally. The witches do not predict that Macbeth needs to kill Duncan to become king; had Macbeth simply continued to be a good and loyal subject to Duncan, he could well have been appointed to the position. Essentially, the plot structure of the play, and the soliloquies and discussions with Lady Macbeth which illustrate Macbeth's decision-making process, show that even when a long term outcome is foreordained, we still can make choices, using our free will, and thus maintain the compatibility among foreknowledge, free will, and divine justice.

How does Macbeth in Macbeth teach readers about the concept of free will?

One of the clearest ways in which this is shown in the play is when in Act I Macbeth hears the news that Malcolm has been named as Duncan's heir. As he has just heard the prophecy that he is going to become king himself, if he truly believed in fate, he would do nothing and still become king by natural causes if the prophecy is genuine. However, his response indicates that it is he who is ultimately in control of his fate and not some supernatural body:

The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step

On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,

For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;

Let not light see my black and deep desires:

The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be,

Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.

He sees Malcolm's naming as heir as being a "step" that blocks his way and that he must "o'erleap" in order to achieve his path and his eventual goal of becoming king. The important thing to remember though is that it is Macbeth choosing how he responds to the prophecy. What highlights this above all else is the way in which Banquo receives a similar prophecy but does nothing to act in order to make it happen. Macbeth, by contrast, feels fate obviously needs something of a helping hand.

Analyze Shakespeare’s depiction of fate and free will in Macbeth. Is one’s fate inevitable? Or does the individual have control over his destiny?

The play Macbeth is highly concerned with the theme of free will and fate. From the beginning of this play, the three witches seem to indicate that Macbeth's fate is already determined for him. The idea of one's predetermined destiny is presented when the witches greet Macbeth.

All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis

All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor

All hail Macbeth, thalt shall be king thereafter. (Act 1, scene 3, 46–48)

At first, Macbeth is confused to hear this. He is already Thane of Glamis but not of Cawdor, and he certainly does not expect to be king. However, shortly after, Duncan bestows the title of Thane of Cawdor on Macbeth. This gets Macbeth to thinking that he is indeed fated to be king.

Where the question of free will or fate comes in is that Macbeth has a choice to make. He never imagined that he would rule Scotland. "To become king / stands not within prospect of belief" (act 1, scene 3, 74–75).

Macbeth understands that there are few perceivable ways that he could become king. He would like it if fate granted him the position without him having to seize it himself. "If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me / Without my stir" (act 1, scene 3, 142–143). However, when Duncan announces that Malcolm will be his heir, Macbeth realizes that he will need to take his fate into his own hands.

Although it may appear that Macbeth's fate has been decided, Shakespeare shows the audience that Macbeth retains control over his free will. He nearly decides not to kill Duncan. He tells his conniving wife, "We will proceed no further in this business" (act 1, scene 7, 32). However, Lady Macbeth is eventually able to persuade her reluctant husband to do the deed. Macbeth is not driven by fate. It is his wife's persuasion that causes him to make his choice. As such, he exercises free will. When he takes the imaginary dagger in act 2, scene 1, he is symbolically exercising his will to take ownership of his destiny. He understands that he is responsible for his choices.

How does Macbeth demonstrate both fate and free will?

Macbeth did indeed act on both fate and free will. Think of fate as limiting free will only inasmuch as its parameters determine. That is, if you are fated to die in a car accident, then you will, but you could choose, on your own, to hot-wire a car and drive it into a brick wall at 90mph. If you didn't, fate--assuming it is a real thing--would make you die in a car accident anyway. You may be 92 years old and hit by a drunk driver, but the initial parameters are met. 

In Macbeth's case, he knows he will be king. This could happen in a number of ways, and as Macbeth notes himself, "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir." That is, "I'm fated to be king so I'll be king even if I don't do anything to make it happen." However, he acted on free will, choosing his own path to the throne.