Every choice a person makes, and every act he/she participates in, results in either a good or bad response. In Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, the character Macbeth is faced with many serious choices. With his decisions, Macbeth dealt with severe consequences. Through these decisions and consequences, Shakespeare uses the themes of free choice, responsibility, and justice to characterize Macbeth as a gullible murderer, who is very conscience of what he does and is capable of doing.
Several times in the story, Macbeth is given the opportunity to choose good over evil. After his first decision to actually believe the witches' prophecies, his morality continues to decline and the bad choices follow. The first time the witches speak to Macbeth, they foreshadow that he will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. Hearing this, Macbeth becomes anxious for the prophecies to come true and takes matters into his own hands. While Duncan is staying in Macbeth's household, the host and his wife confirm the decision to murder the King. Macbeth says to his wife, "I have done the deed (II, 2, 14),"" when he has completed the scheme. When he has killed the King, to cover up his actions he then kills the guards that were watching over the King's chambers. When he is questioned about these murders, he falsely claims that the guards were the ones that killed Duncan. "O, yet I do repent me of my fury, that I did kill them- (II, 3, 101-102). After these shocking decisions, Macbeth continues to follow this path when he chooses to kill Banquo and his son, in order that his children will not replace Macbeth.
It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul's flight, if it find heaven, must find it.
out tonight. (III, 1, 141-142).
The last choice that Macbeth blindly makes, is once again, believing the witches' prophecies. The second time they meet, the sisters give him three warnings. When he hears that "none of woman born- shall harm him, he thinks that he is untouchable.
