ipl-logo

Who Is To Blame For Macbeth's Downfall

921 Words4 Pages

Sariah Durrant Essay 12 What Makes Good Men Fall (Who is to Blame for the Downfall of Macbeth) There are times when the only thing that can drag good people down are the actions of other people. They can be poisoned by greedy thoughts, or they can be manipulated or tricked by their own minds into falling apart. “Psychopaths don't sit still for science and ordinary people can't be made to think so savagely,” proving that if any normal man attempted to follow the choices of these deranged killers, he would fall to pieces, just Macbeth did (Jeffrey Kluger). Choices are what become us, and because of the multitudinous choices made throughout this play, a man lost everything he once was on his path to power. Macbeth’s descent into madness and insanity can be narrowed down to a few things, such as people and it could’ve been the Witches, Lady Macbeth, or even Macbeth himself. The Witches in Macbeth were the very ones who started the whole downward spiral that swept up Macbeth. With their predictions of his future, they implanted illusions that plagued his mind with poisonous thoughts of grandeur. “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt …show more content…

Without his wife encouraging him to kill King Duncan, he would never have even planned anything so despicable. Lady Macbeth understood that her husband, despite his battle presence, he was “too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness” to take the quickest way to the throne (1.5, line 17, page 334). She had a burning desire within her for the taste of power and she wanted Macbeth to man-up and become king so she could benefit. She masterfully manipulated him and masters “will skillfully gain your sympathy and call upon it at your most vulnerable moments,” (Crime Feed). Lady Macbeth toyed with his mind and completely and utterly manipulated him, shoving him towards his snowball into insanity, alongside of

Show More
Related

  • Fate And Free Will In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    699 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare reveals how easily swayed the human mind can be by temptation. Both good and evil can be found in every human being, but not always in proportion. The comparison of Macbeth’s reaction to his prophecy and Banquo’s shows that not all have the same balance of morals. The prophecies used in this play lead to the breakdown of the once loyal, heroic Macbeth and his violent death. Did Macbeth set himself up for failure or was cruel death his fate all

    Read More

  • Macbeth Quotes Analysis

    682 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth is the Shakespearean play that features the triumphant uprise and the inevitable downfall of its main character. In this play, Macbeth’s downfall can be considered to be the loss of his moral integrity and this is achieved by ambition, despite this, Lady Macbeth and the witches work through his ambition, furthering to assist his inevitable ruin. Ambition alone is the most significant factor that led to Macbeth’s downfall. The witches are only able to influence his actions through Macbeth’s pre-existing and the three witches see that Macbeth has ambition and uses it to control his action. Ambition alone is displayed throughout the play to be the most significant cause for Macbeth’s downfall.

    Read More

  • Too Much Ambition Is Responsible For Macbeth's Downfall

    1101 Words  | 5 Pages

    When looking at Macbeth, there are many other characters who may appear to have aided in his downfall. Throughout the play, Macbeth is influenced and encouraged by many others. In every tragedy, the protagonist is culpable for their own death due to their own actions. Through all of Macbeth’s journey to becoming king, he continues to fight, crying “Before my body, I throw my warlike shield” (5.9.32-33) even right before being slaughtered. In Macbeth, Shakespeare is able to perfectly portray the universal nature in which one’s downfall can be caused by holding too much ambition.

    Read More

  • Guilt In Macbeth

    868 Words  | 4 Pages

    He then went to tell Lady Macbeth his plan and she loved it, she knew he deserved to be king. Simply knowing that Macbeth will actually have to kill his own cousin makes him think twice about it, which forces Lady Macbeth, to persuade Macbeth into proceeding with the plan. She tells him she’s ashamed to have his children and to be with someone who is not a man. She also advised to Macbeth “Look like th' innocent flower, But be the serpent under ’t.” (I. VI. 76-78) Which means to be innocent by sight but ruthless by

    Read More

  • Who Is To Blame For Macbeth's Downfall Essay

    1107 Words  | 5 Pages

    Who’s To Blame for Macbeth’s Downfall? (An Understanding of Who Was at Fault for the Downfall of Macbeth) Power is a necessity for many people, so much so that it can drive a person to do the unthinkable. Although the play started off with Macbeth being a joyous, and truthful character, he is bound to fall because of his greed for power. Although many people solely blame Macbeth for his own downfall, they don’t realize that he was not the only one who pushed him to his limits.

    Read More

  • Who Is To Blame For Macbeth Analysis

    999 Words  | 4 Pages

    Macbeth had another chance to change his outcome. his wife was consumed with the idea that he would become king, so much so that she pushed him to kill the current King. She said she couldn 't do it because King Duncan looked too much like her own father. Macbeth could have easily dismissed this and not listened to his mentally dwindling wife, “Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, to cry ‘hold, hold!’” He followed the instructions of his wife and killed the king.

    Read More

  • Essay Who Is Responsible For Macbeth's Downfall

    953 Words  | 4 Pages

    Often times, people go through rises and downfalls in their lives that they themselves are responsible for. In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, both main characters, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, himself, are responsible for the downfall of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is responsible for the tragedy because she convinces and manipulates Macbeth into doing the deed. However, Shakespeare accomplishes in showing that Macbeth is more responsible for his own downfall than Lady Macbeth because he listens to the witches and follows his ambition rather than his conscience. To begin, Lady Macbeth is responsible for the tragedy because she convinces and manipulates Macbeth into doing the deed by insulting him when he changes his mind.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Hubris In Macbeth

    642 Words  | 3 Pages

    He chose to kill Duncan when speaking to his wife “I am settled, and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show. False face must hide what the false heart doth know.” (1.7.79-82) He has decided not only to kill his king, but to pretend that he is innocent, and take his throne, It is his decision, not Lady Macbeth’s.

    Read More

  • Causes Of Macbeth's Downfall

    876 Words  | 4 Pages

    Macbeth started off as a valiant and courageous soldier, who would do anything for the king. By the end of the play, Macbeth was a tyrant and a horrible leader who killed those who trusted him to maintain the throne. It takes many factors to take a strong man and transform him into an evil monster. Macbeth’s downfall was caused by the deception and temptation of the witches and their prophecies, Lady Macbeth’s greed and aspirations for her husband to be king, and Macbeth’s own greed, jealousy and ambition.

    Read More

  • Role Of Decay In Macbeth

    515 Words  | 3 Pages

    When she found out about the witches’ prophecies that foretold Macbeth becoming king, she immediately pushed for Macbeth to assassinate King Duncan. Before having to kill Duncan, Macbeth was uneasy and unsure. Lady Macbeth responded by demeaning Macbeth and questioning his manhood. By doing this, Lady Macbeth made Macbeth feel inferior at the moment he felt unsure about killing Duncan, which caused him to act mercilessly so as to avoid humiliation from his wife and redeem his manhood. Macbeth unnecessarily defended his “manhood,” and did horrendous acts simply because of Lady Macbeth discrediting

    Read More

  • Essay Who Is Responsible For Macbeth's Destruction

    832 Words  | 4 Pages

    Macbeth chose to listen and accept the prophecy as truth even though he had no proof. Although the witches influence Macbeth they did not suggest to Macbeth to kill the king, he got that idea from his selfish thoughts. After the witches visit Macbeth he goes to his wife about his thoughts of killing the king. Lady Macbeth encourages murder because that’s the only way she thinks Macbeth can become king.

    Read More

  • Who Is Responsible For Macbeth's Downfall

    758 Words  | 4 Pages

    To what extent does Shakespeare present Macbeth as the reason behind Macbeth’s downfall? It is clear that Macbeth is responsible for his own actions which ultimately led to his downfall; mentally and in society. His mild intentions strongly encouraged by Lady Macbeth led to inevitable consequences which one may find difficult to bare and forget. His wife, Lady Macbeth was a courageous, fearless woman willing to do what necessary to fulfill her burning ambition, even if it means manipulating ones close to do what she desires.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Downfall In Macbeth

    1008 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the play of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main character, Macbeth, is told by three witches that he was to become a king. This information prompts him to murder King Duncan which in turn makes him face constant pressure from multiple sides. His desire to receive and maintain power forces him to make questionable decisions as well as to turn to others in the story, including, for example, the witches and Lady Macbeth. The question that arises as a result is whether Macbeth’s downfall was caused by himself or those around him. What becomes evident as time goes on is that however true it may be that outside influences had played a role in how things would turn out, in the end, Macbeth’s decisions play the largest role in his downfall.

    Read More

  • Greed And Evil In William Shakespeare's Macbeth

    865 Words  | 4 Pages

    www.enotes.com even says, “Macbeth will be violating every rule of gracious hosting by killing Duncan while he is staying at his home.”. This makes his wife angry and she goes a little to far. She begins to call him a coward and question his manhood. When she does this it causes Macbeth to reconsider because his manhood is very important to him and he does not want to be a coward. Lady macbeth knows all the right words to say to manipulate Macbeth to commit her dirty deeds.

    Read More

  • Tragic Downfall In Macbeth

    914 Words  | 4 Pages

    Tragic heroes always suffer from a tragic flaw in their character. Whether it be the refusal of help or unwavering pride, that tragic flaw always brings about the character’s downfall. In William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Macbeth, readers witness the deterioration of both Scotland and its unjust leader. While the witches and Macbeth himself hold some responsibility for Macbeth’s downfall, Lady Macbeth holds the majority of the blame.

    Read More

More about Who Is To Blame For Macbeth's Downfall

Open Document