Fate may state what will be in one's life however, how that destiny comes about is a matter of man's own choice. In other words, incidents don't occur because our destinies are written. In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare expertly uses the theme of fate vs. free will and raises the pre-eminent question of which holds power over the characters. In Shakespeare's tragedy, fate is not the cause of his downfall, his own desires and choices prove to be the deciding factor.
There are several examples of fate playing a distinctive role in the lives of Macbeth's players. The main catalysts behind fate are the three witches seen intermittingly throughout the production. During their second appearance, they share this harrowing truth with the audience. "Sleep shall neither night nor day / Hang upon his pent-house lid; / He shall live a man forbid: / Weary se'nnights nine times nine / Shall he dwindle, peak and pine (I.iii.19-23). The sailor can be viewed as none other than the Thane of......
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