What are the influences of the Witches' prophecies on Macbeth's actions?
The three witches in the tragedy "Macbeth" are introduced right at the beginning of the play. They deliver to Macbeth three prophecies: that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glamis and King. These prophecies introduce Macbeth to ideas of greatness. Macbeth will eventually follow through on killing King Duncan, a destruction of the natural order; it was sometimes thought that the witches had the ability to reverse the natural order of things. This brings into the play the idea of fate and the role with which it has in the play. One can wonder if Macbeth ever had a chance of doing what was right after he met with the witches.
It is however; more realistic to believe that Macbeth was responsible for his own actions throughout the play, as in the end it was he who made the final decisions.
Banquo says, "The instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us with honest trifles, to betray 's / In deepest consequence." He thinks and says bad things of the witches. He calls them "instruments of darkness" and "the devil". He might believe that these prophecies will only bring harm even before anything begins to happen. So Macbeth is warned of this before he makes any decisions that the witches are evil, and that what they suggest is evil.
The witches could foretell the future, they can add temptation, and influence Macbeth, because they had told Macbeth that he would be King he became impatient and tried to hurry it as quickly as he could and did infact end up killing King Duncan however they can not control his destiny. Macbeth creates his own misery 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 enticement, but it is in the end, each individual's decision to fall for the temptation, or to be strong enough to resist their captivation. The three Witches are only responsible for the introduction of these ideas and for further forming ideas in Macbeth's head, but they are not responsible for his actions throughout the play.
The three witches in the tragedy "Macbeth" are introduced right at the beginning of the play. They deliver to Macbeth three prophecies: that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glamis and King. These prophecies introduce Macbeth to ideas of greatness. Macbeth will eventually follow through on killing King Duncan, a destruction of the natural order; it was sometimes thought that the witches had the ability to reverse the natural order of things. This brings into the play the idea of fate and the role with which it has in the play. One can wonder if Macbeth ever had a chance of doing what was right after he met with the witches.
It is however; more realistic to believe that Macbeth was responsible for his own actions throughout the play, as in the end it was he who made the final decisions.
Banquo says, "The instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us with honest trifles, to betray 's / In deepest consequence." He thinks and says bad things of the witches. He calls them "instruments of darkness" and "the devil". He might believe that these prophecies will only bring harm even before anything begins to happen. So Macbeth is warned of this before he makes any decisions that the witches are evil, and that what they suggest is evil.
The witches could foretell the future, they can add temptation, and influence Macbeth, because they had told Macbeth that he would be King he became impatient and tried to hurry it as quickly as he could and did infact end up killing King Duncan however they can not control his destiny. Macbeth creates his own misery 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 enticement, but it is in the end, each individual's decision to fall for the temptation, or to be strong enough to resist their captivation. The three Witches are only responsible for the introduction of these ideas and for further forming ideas in Macbeth's head, but they are not responsible for his actions throughout the play.
