Fate is something that is bound to happen. Everyone and everything is destined to do something or become something. In Shakespeare's play "Macbeth," the issue of predestination vs. free will arises. Who actually controls our actions, fate or man itself? This point can be argued either way, however in Shakespeare's play "Macbeth," an emphasis on free will is displayed throughout the play. Macbeth controlled his own actions and because of that, he held great consequences as well.
Macbeth had his own choices and decisions to make. Everything started off when Macbeth and his best friend Banquo encountered the three witches. The witches predict Macbeth's fate that he would become the king and the Thane of Cawdor, and Banquo's son, Fleance was also bound to become the king. The witches' prophecy had gave Macbeth a head start, "The truths are told, as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme, "I am Thane of Cawdor. If good, why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair"" (Shakespeare 22). The only thing the witches told Macbeth was that he was going to become the Thane of Cawdor and the king, but they didn't tell him how. Their prophecies influence Macbeth to act. Macbeth makes up his own way to become king since he had already gained the position of the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth believes the only way to become king is by murdering King Duncan. No one controlled Macbeth's fate, not even the witches, the witches only gave Macbeth ideas and Macbeth reacted to them according to his own plans and mind. Later on when Macbeth becomes king after killing King Duncan, he still believes that someone is in his way of remaining the king. "We have scorched the snake, not killed it. She'll close and be herself whilst our poor malice remains in danger of her former tooth "(Shakespeare 96), Macbeth is telling his wife, Lady Macbeth, that they have only hurt the snake, not killed it completely, and if it heals up they'll be attacked again.
