Sunday, June 10, 2012

Explain the concept of fate and free will in Macbeth. Is there a way that Macbeth acted on both?

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. 

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