Shakespeares Macbeth - Renaissance Humanism Essay

While the witches present in Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth assume the role of supernatural beings, it was not Shakespeare’s intent to portray a classic case of fatalism. On the contrary, Shakespeare used Macbeth as a way to display the idea of Renaissance humanism. Although the witches did in fact possess uncanny powers, they were in reality not controlling Macbeth, but rather they were tempting Macbeth to act in particular ways. The witches, as well as other significant characters, may have encouraged Macbeth to act in a certain way, yet they did not by any means determine Macbeth’s actions. By comparing the humanist movement and its values to the tragedy Macbeth, it becomes blatantly obvious that Macbeth was intended to†¦show more content†¦And to further display humanistic qualities, Macbeth also uses reason to become more angelic than bestial. This goes back to the struggle between light and dark. One of the purposes of the light is to make reason be used for angelic causes. Macbeth uses reason to justify the deaths he orders, causing disorder, and making the situation more bestial. Macduff uses reason to justify killing Macbeth, which restarts the order, making the situation more angelic. By analyzing the times in which Macbeth was written, and by examining the material that was used by Shakespeare to write Macbeth, it becomes clear that Macbeth was intended to be truly humanistic. While witches were generally accepted and were a part of daily life around the composition of Macbeth (circa 1606), it would have been obvious to the audience at a performance of Macbeth, that the witches did not control Macbeth’s actions. This attitude, that witches may have possessed magical powers yet man controls his own destiny, was best described by Thomas Cooper. In 1617 in his book, The Mystery of Witchcraft, he states Satan cannot prevail effectually upon any to their condemnation, unless with full consent they yield themselves wholly to his subjection (360). 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