Macbeth - fate vs free will

Act 1, Scene 3

'so foul and fair a day I have not seen.'

Linking Macbeth to the witches straight away.

The witches quoted this in scene 1, the idea of prophesising. How much of himself does Macbeth have control of?

Act 1, Scene 7

Macbeths soliloquy

The caesuras breaking up his soliloquy show his wavering mind and his confusion about what to do.

The soliloquy shows how Macbeth is wavering about killing Duncan, showing he does have a choice and chooses to kill him. It isn't purely the witches that set his fate.

Act 3, scene 4

'I am in blood stepp'd in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er.'

Protestants believe that Ghosts are not real but instead, they are apparitions of the devil, come to trick you into doing evil. This idea links with this quote and King James being protestant.

This can also relate to Macbeth going mad because he is seeing images of the devil in the form of the people that he has killed.

He is so far into his murdering path that he can't go back and for his mistakes, he may as well continue.

Act 3, Scene 5

Hecate scene

The witches know Macbeth is coming to find them which prophesizes the fate and free will of Macbeth, are the witches controlling Macbeth gone wayward. Reference to how the witches influence Macbeth but it is Macbeth's choice.

Act 4, Scene 2

'Come bring me where they are'

This scene shows how infiltrated his mind is by the witches. Macbeth was traumatised from Duncan's murder but in a version when Macbeth does the murder of Macduff it would clearly show his change and how he doesn't care about his reputation. Sinks to new depths with murdering a family and shows how unfearful he is with consequences now.

Polly Findlay's performance of Macbeth had a clock counting down in the background to show the urgency of his performance.

Act 5, Scene 2

'shall we well meet them'

Fate & Free will, Macbeth's fate has been set for him already no matter how much he fights it.

Act 5, Scene 3

'All mortal consequences have pronounc'd me thus'

He is in denial of Macduff coming as he is using the witches to believe himself.

Act 5, Scene 8

'Yet I will try the last'

Macbeth takes on fate and tests it himself.