The Role of Choices in Macbeth
Choices all individuals make impact their lives; and in the play, Macbeth, we see how Macbeth’s poor choices combined with ambition and lack of character can have tragic consequences. This is not limited to Macbeth’s choices as we see how decisions can have a significant negative effect on several characters’ well-being in the story. Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macduff all provide examples displaying the implications of one’s actions on oneself or others. While the motivating factors behind each character’s choices may differ, each made decisions, which had a significant impact on their lives.
Throughout this play, Macbeth was faced with choices and he continuously made bad ones that ultimately led to his tragic downfall. In Act 1, Scene 3, Macbeth met the witches whose prophecies claimed Macbeth would be made thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. At the same time, they claimed Banquo, who was with Macbeth, would be the father of kings. Shortly after, Macbeth and Banquo were greeted by two noblemen who announced that King Duncan had appointed Macbeth the new thane of Cawdor for his brave actions defeating the traitor and Scottish lord who was the thane of Cawdor. Macbeth viewed this as a sign the witches prophecies were valid as one had come true. Macbeth became consumed with the witches’ premonitions. Their vision for the future coupled with his ambition drove Macbeth to make choices that ultimately destroyed him. He hinted at the terrible things he could due to secure the throne for himself. With significant influence from Lady Macbeth, he decided to take action and murder King Duncan. As part of their plan, they get the King’s attendants drunk so they’d black out then they could blame them for the murder. Macbeth ends up killing them the next morning when Duncan’s murder is discovered pretending he is enraged by their crime. Duncan’s sons leave the country thinking they are in danger; and Macbeth becomes the King. He continues to choose violence and murder as his solution to his perceived problems. Fearful of the witches’ premonition that Banquo’s heirs would have the throne and also suspicious that Banquo could blame him for Duncan’s death, Macbeth hires men to kill Banquo and his son to eliminate that threat. They kill Banquo but his son escapes further fueling Macbeth’s insecurities. Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost which leads him to visit the witches again. More prophecies are cited including that Macbeth must beware of Macduff. When Macbeth learns Macduff fled to England to meet up with Malcolm, King Duncan’s son, he orders Macduff’s wife and children killed to tame his anxieties. This ultimately led to his demise as Macduff sought revenge and ends up killing Macbeth in battle. Choosing the path of blood and violence to feed his ambitious appetite, Macbeth met his downfall with tragic consequences as a result of the many bad choices he made.
Lady Macbeth also made choices that had a significant impact on her life and cost her everything as well. She feared Macbeth would not have the courage to take the necessary steps to seize the throne declared by the witches’ prophecy. She said that he is too filled with the milk of kindness to take the needed actions. She is ambitious and cold-hearted at the start and she is the one who encourages him to follow his ambitions by murdering Duncan. When he has doubts whether he can commit the murder, she chastises him. She devises the plan. It is her choices that set Macbeth on his bloody path. Her decision to use her influence and persuasive skills on Macbeth to kill Duncan then causes her much pain as she becomes guilt ridden. This results in her ultimate destruction as she chooses to commit suicide.
Lastly, Macduff’s decisions exemplify the implications choices can have on oneself or others. Macduff wasn’t a fan of Macbeth’s kingship and chose to go to England. His plan was to help Malcolm, the rightful king, reclaim the throne. The consequence of his decision to flee to England to join Malcolm was that Macbeth sent troops to his home to murder his family as Macbeth heeded the witches warning to beware Macduff. Losing his family was definitely an unexpected and dire aftermath for Macduff. Vowing revenge, Macduff joined Malcolm and his army to challenge Macbeth. Disproving the prophecy “none of women born shall harm Macbeth” as Macduff declared he was not “of women born” but rather “untimely ripped” from his mother’s womb, Macduff killed and beheaded Macbeth. Macduff’s decisions were not to feed his own ambitions but rather to replace the tyrannical leader, Macbeth, with Malcolm, the rightful worthy leader for the good of the country. Despite his good intentions, Macduff still suffered the dire consequence of losing his family due to his choices.
The choices made by Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macduff in the play demonstrate the impact decisions can have on one’s life. In Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s case, their bad choices made by their over ambitiousness resulted in tragic consequences for them both. Even Macduff, whose actions were not motivated by his own self-serving needs, made decisions that resulted in negative consequences. Their choices all had a significant impact on their lives.
Choices all individuals make impact their lives; and in the play, Macbeth, we see how Macbeth’s poor choices combined with ambition and lack of character can have tragic consequences. This is not limited to Macbeth’s choices as we see how decisions can have a significant negative effect on several characters’ well-being in the story. Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macduff all provide examples displaying the implications of one’s actions on oneself or others. While the motivating factors behind each character’s choices may differ, each made decisions, which had a significant impact on their lives.
Throughout this play, Macbeth was faced with choices and he continuously made bad ones that ultimately led to his tragic downfall. In Act 1, Scene 3, Macbeth met the witches whose prophecies claimed Macbeth would be made thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. At the same time, they claimed Banquo, who was with Macbeth, would be the father of kings. Shortly after, Macbeth and Banquo were greeted by two noblemen who announced that King Duncan had appointed Macbeth the new thane of Cawdor for his brave actions defeating the traitor and Scottish lord who was the thane of Cawdor. Macbeth viewed this as a sign the witches prophecies were valid as one had come true. Macbeth became consumed with the witches’ premonitions. Their vision for the future coupled with his ambition drove Macbeth to make choices that ultimately destroyed him. He hinted at the terrible things he could due to secure the throne for himself. With significant influence from Lady Macbeth, he decided to take action and murder King Duncan. As part of their plan, they get the King’s attendants drunk so they’d black out then they could blame them for the murder. Macbeth ends up killing them the next morning when Duncan’s murder is discovered pretending he is enraged by their crime. Duncan’s sons leave the country thinking they are in danger; and Macbeth becomes the King. He continues to choose violence and murder as his solution to his perceived problems. Fearful of the witches’ premonition that Banquo’s heirs would have the throne and also suspicious that Banquo could blame him for Duncan’s death, Macbeth hires men to kill Banquo and his son to eliminate that threat. They kill Banquo but his son escapes further fueling Macbeth’s insecurities. Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost which leads him to visit the witches again. More prophecies are cited including that Macbeth must beware of Macduff. When Macbeth learns Macduff fled to England to meet up with Malcolm, King Duncan’s son, he orders Macduff’s wife and children killed to tame his anxieties. This ultimately led to his demise as Macduff sought revenge and ends up killing Macbeth in battle. Choosing the path of blood and violence to feed his ambitious appetite, Macbeth met his downfall with tragic consequences as a result of the many bad choices he made.
Lady Macbeth also made choices that had a significant impact on her life and cost her everything as well. She feared Macbeth would not have the courage to take the necessary steps to seize the throne declared by the witches’ prophecy. She said that he is too filled with the milk of kindness to take the needed actions. She is ambitious and cold-hearted at the start and she is the one who encourages him to follow his ambitions by murdering Duncan. When he has doubts whether he can commit the murder, she chastises him. She devises the plan. It is her choices that set Macbeth on his bloody path. Her decision to use her influence and persuasive skills on Macbeth to kill Duncan then causes her much pain as she becomes guilt ridden. This results in her ultimate destruction as she chooses to commit suicide.
Lastly, Macduff’s decisions exemplify the implications choices can have on oneself or others. Macduff wasn’t a fan of Macbeth’s kingship and chose to go to England. His plan was to help Malcolm, the rightful king, reclaim the throne. The consequence of his decision to flee to England to join Malcolm was that Macbeth sent troops to his home to murder his family as Macbeth heeded the witches warning to beware Macduff. Losing his family was definitely an unexpected and dire aftermath for Macduff. Vowing revenge, Macduff joined Malcolm and his army to challenge Macbeth. Disproving the prophecy “none of women born shall harm Macbeth” as Macduff declared he was not “of women born” but rather “untimely ripped” from his mother’s womb, Macduff killed and beheaded Macbeth. Macduff’s decisions were not to feed his own ambitions but rather to replace the tyrannical leader, Macbeth, with Malcolm, the rightful worthy leader for the good of the country. Despite his good intentions, Macduff still suffered the dire consequence of losing his family due to his choices.
The choices made by Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macduff in the play demonstrate the impact decisions can have on one’s life. In Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s case, their bad choices made by their over ambitiousness resulted in tragic consequences for them both. Even Macduff, whose actions were not motivated by his own self-serving needs, made decisions that resulted in negative consequences. Their choices all had a significant impact on their lives.
Essay by Brendan Blees