The leading issue in Macbeth has to do with fate and prophecy. Whenever the Witches give Macbeth information on what will be happening to him, it causes him to completly change his actions. For a while, I was questioning whether the prophecies that the witches forsaw changed as Macbeth was informed of the propheces and therefore changed his actions as he saw fit to prevent or make the forseen events to occur. Logic tells me that telling someone of their fate will alter the future because most people will make different decisions to change or keep their fate. With this last prophecy that Macbeth has recieved from the witches about fearing Macduff but not to worry until the trees start moving to the castle and also how he won't be killed by a man born of a woman, I believe that the prophecies must take into account how their actions will be altered with the fate being known. Macbeth fought and lived extremely over-confident after he heard his interpretation of his fate and resulted in his murder by Macduff. Had the witches informed Macbeth that Macduff was actually going to kill him, he would have ended up in a much different position than he finds himself in at the end of the play, which is that his head and his body are in two places at once.
Great point Danielle. I love your picture too. You always have a picture that isn't obvious about how it connects to the play but when you read the post it makes sense. Do you believe that people can change their fate?
ReplyDeleteIt seems like it's more a "this is your fate, and it won't change" kind of thing than simply looking into the future. It seems like it was all a self fulfilling prophecy, I don't think Macbeth would have become king if the witches hadn't put the idea in his head in the first place. Or maybe not, I dunno.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that knowing one's fate or hearing a prophecy can change your actions. I feel as if that although you may not know it, but hearing those prophecies is already predetermined and accounted for in your predetermined fate. This sounds extremely lame but an example of this is the disney tv show "That's So Raven." For those of you that dont know she was a psychic teenager who had visions. Then she would try to interpret them and change her actions to not make them happen. But regardless the vision always came true. I believe that if you believe in fate that hearing a prophecy is already included into it and your actions are already know.
ReplyDeleteYou are making a great point. That knowing your fate can change your actions and thoughts just like it did for Macbeth. It may end up for the best or for the worst.
ReplyDelete**actions are already known.
ReplyDeleteI thought that your point that "Logic tells me that telling someone of their fate will alter the future because most people will make different decisions to change or keep their fate."was very insightful. I agree that Macbeth was really expertly manipulated by the witches, who told him that he would become king, therefore causing him to alter his own fate to fit what other people had laid out for him.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. macbeth hears the prophecy about becoming king, and naturally assumes that killing duncan is the only way to acquire the crown. he believes his fate is set and cannot be changed.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely believe that you can change you're fate. It's up to you to decide where you're life goes and what path you take, if you already know where you may be headed, you'll probably do things differently and any alteration at all you make to your actions will change the future
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Danielle and how you can change your fate at anytime. Even if you already have an idea of something you can change it.
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