The witches could foretell the future, they can add temptation, and influence
Macbeth, but they could not control his destiny. Macbeth created his own misery
when he kills people. This causes him to become insecure, because of the reasons
for his actions, which in turn causes him to commit more murders. The witches
give great enticement, but in the end, it's Macbeth's decision to fall for the
temptation. The three Witches are only responsible for introducing the ideas to
Macbeth, and putting the ideas in his head, but they are not responsible for his
actions throughout the play. However it's more realistic to believe that Lady
Macbeth, Macbeth's ambition, and his own responsibilities ended it for him, not
the witches. Lady Macbeth is shown early as an ambitious woman who can
manipulate Macbeth easily. This is shown in the line "That I may pour my
spirits in thine ear"(I,V,26). She is selfless, and wants what is best for
her husband. Before the speech that Lady Macbeth gives in act one scene five,
Macbeth does not want to go through with the killing of the king. She
manipulates Macbeth's self-esteem by playing on his manliness and his bravery.
Macbeth has the final say in whether or not to go through with the killing, but
he loves Lady Macbeth and wants to make her happy. Lady Macbeth is the
dominating individual in the relationship. It seems that she can convince him to
do anything as long as she pushes the right buttons. Macbeth's ambition is
present before the witch's prophesies. He would never have thought seriously
about killing Duncan without the witches. But the combination of his ambitious
and the witch's prophecies leads him to kill the king. Lady Macbeth even
says,"Thou wouldst be great/ Art not without ambition."(I,V,80-81).
Macbeth also says, "his besetting sin: I have no spur/ To prick the sides
of my intent, but only/ Vaulting ambition." Macbeth's ambition is shown
while he waits to have a succession of kings after him. Macbeth has a lot of
ambition in him and because of this, both the witches and Lady Macbeth are able
to make him evil. It is this ambition that gets him into so much trouble not the
witches. Once Macbeth kills for the first time, he has to cover up his wrong
doings, or risk loosing everything he has worked so hard for. In the end, it all
comes to Macbeth himself. Everyone is responsible for his own destiny. This is
what I think the theme is in this tragedy. Macbeth chooses to gamble with his
life and when he does this, it is only him who chooses to lose it. He is
responsible for everything he does and must take responsibility for his actions.
Macbeth is the one who made the final decision to carry out his actions. He made
these final decisions and continued with the killings to cover the murder of
King Duncan. The killing of Duncan starts an unstoppable chain of events in the
play that ends with the murder of Macbeth and the suicide of Lady Macbeth. While
the witches are not totally responsible for the actions of Macbeth, they are
responsible for introducing the ideas to Macbeth. Macbeth's ambition led to the
deadly chain of events. The witches never had any real power to affect the
future in the play. It was Macbeth all along who ended it for himself.