Shakespeare's "Macbeth," deals with how fate and freewill affect a character. Macbeth learns of his future and uses his freewill to ensure it becomes reality. Macbeth is a complicated character who becomes influenced by various internal and external factors as well as other characters; the way Macbeth perceives fate causes him choose to commit murder which ultimately leads to his downfall. .
Self-fulfilling prophecy is a sociological theory that a prediction, which may or may not be true, actually becomes reality from positive feedback between belief and behavior. Having this theory applied to Macbeth, I perceived that he brought upon his own demise by interfering with his predicted fate. For the witches' first prediction that he would receive the title Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth had not interfered. .
However, when it was proven that the witches were correct, Macbeth believed in the prediction that he would become king, which at the moment it was given, may or may not have been the future reality. There is an immediate thought of murder which Macbeth reveals his to the audience in his aside: "Why do I yield to that suggestion/Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair/And make my seated heart knock at my ribs/Against the use of nature?"" (Act 1, Scene 3, lines 134-137). He then dismisses it saying that the future will come "Without [his] stir"" (Act 1, Scene 3, line 143). Although, when Macbeth learns that Malcolm is to inherit the crown, he sees this as an obstacle he must overcome. Macbeth's belief in the prophecy and his need to fulfill his predicted fate led him to believe he had to murder Duncan. .
Macbeth's own hallucinations, thoughts, and perceptions have a major influence on him in adhering to the murderous plan. Macbeth encounters a floating dagger just before he murders Duncan and wonders if he sees it due to his disturbed mind saying, .
"A dagger of the mind, a false creation.
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?.
