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The document discusses how Macbeth and Banquo react differently to the prophecies told to them by the weird sisters. While Banquo is skeptical, Macbeth acts on the prophecies and kills King Duncan in an attempt to control his fate. However, fate cannot be controlled or manipulated in this way. By trying to shape the prophecies to his desires, Macbeth puts himself in a position where he must constantly struggle against any parts of the prophecies that do not favor him. This obsession with controlling his fate ultimately leads to Macbeth's ruin.

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Amara Maduagwu
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49 views1 page

GGGG

The document discusses how Macbeth and Banquo react differently to the prophecies told to them by the weird sisters. While Banquo is skeptical, Macbeth acts on the prophecies and kills King Duncan in an attempt to control his fate. However, fate cannot be controlled or manipulated in this way. By trying to shape the prophecies to his desires, Macbeth puts himself in a position where he must constantly struggle against any parts of the prophecies that do not favor him. This obsession with controlling his fate ultimately leads to Macbeth's ruin.

Uploaded by

Amara Maduagwu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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From the moment the weird sisters tell Macbeth and Banquo their

prophecies, both the characters and the audience are forced to wonder about fate. Is it real? Is
action necessary to make it come to pass, or will the prophecy come true no matter what one
does?
Unlike Banquo, Macbeth acts: he kills Duncan. Macbeth tries to master fate, to make fate conform
to exactly what he wants. But, of course, fate doesn't work that way. By trying to master fate once,
Macbeth puts himself in the position of having to master fate always. At every instant, he has to
struggle against those parts of the witches' prophecies that don't favor him. Ultimately, Macbeth
becomes so obsessed with his fate that he becomes delusional: he becomes unable to see the
half-truths behind the witches' prophecies. By trying to master fate, he brings himself to ruin. he
prophecies of the Witches are presented simply as dangerous circumstances with
which Macbeth has to deal” [. In addition, there is nothing strange or guilty in the
words of the Sisters. The Sisters make their appeal to Macbeth’s and Banquo’s
desire. Banquo takes over an important role at this point. The different response
toward the Sisters is another issue which underlines the point that Macbeth is
independent of the Sisters. They hail Macbeth deferentially and prophesy that

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great honors await him. When Banquo asks to be told his fortune too, the Sisters

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hail him as well, though in more enigmatic and more openly ambiguous words,

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promising that he shall be the forefather of kings . When the Sisters vanish,

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Macbeth wants to know more from them. He is fascinated by them and their
message. Banquo, in contrast, is not impressed, for him they are simply uncouth

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beings, ugly old women acting as fortune tellers, they are “bubbles” ephemeral
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creatures without much substance to them but possibly as treacherous and
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gruesome as the boggy ground he treads. Macbeth and Banquo subtly
characterize themselves by selecting what they perceive of the witches.
Macbeth’s emotions are so deeply roused that he reveals his confusion and
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professes his anxiety. Therefore, how Bradley puts it,


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