ipl-logo

Causes Of Macbeth's Downfall

876 Words4 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. The witches played a colossal role in Macbeth’s downfall and ultimately, his death. Since the first part of the prophecy stated Macbeth as being the new Thane of Cawdor, he believed he could continue to become king as well. In knowing his prediction, Macbeth also realized that since the king was in good health, so he would have to kill the king himself. For the rest of his prophecy to come true he would have to kill the king for himself. “All hail, Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter!” (1.3.51).The witches sparked this greed and ambition in Macbeth that caused him to kill the king. Not only did the witches tempt Macbeth, they also deceived him and …show more content…

As soon as she heard Macbeth’s prophecy, she was willing to do anything to get him into the position of king. She was even willing to aid in the murder of innocent people who stood in the way of Macbeth’s ascension to the crown like, King Duncan. Her greed led to Macbeth’s downfall. When Macbeth stated that he was questioning his intentions to kill the king, she pushed him and assisted in the plotting. “We will proceed no further in this business. / He hath honored me of late, and I have bought/ Gold opinions from all sorts of people” (1.7.31-33). After he said this, Lady Macbeth questioned his manhood. With his manliness being questioned, he pushed himself to kill the king. The greed of Lady Macbeth and her scheming led to Macbeth’s untimely

Show More
Related

  • How Does Ambition Lead To Moral Decay In Macbeth

    531 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth we see him use ambition as a motif to show how when unchecked it can lead to moral decay. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth seek the throne and all of its power which leads to their destruction. In Act 1 Scene 7 Macbeth comes to terms with the fact that killing Duncan is simply a move for power with no moral backings, “ I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself And falls on th’ other-”. Although Macbeth begins to realize that he is committing murders and destroying lives for power there is nothing stopping him. Unfortunately Lady Macbeth was overcome with the guilt of what she had done that she took her own life.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Motifs In Macbeth

    969 Words  | 4 Pages

    The three witches prophesize that Macbeth is destined to become king. Although this prophecy is true, it is ironic because Macbeth’s idea of being king contradicts what really happens in the story. Macbeth most likely believed that once he kills Duncan that he would enjoy the wealth and power that comes with the throne. He believed that he would be happy. However, after he murders Duncan, Macbeth ultimately experiences the guilt of his actions.

    Read More

  • Pride And Corruption In Macbeth

    493 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the beginning, Macbeth felt a deep guilt about planning to kill King Duncan. Once he did kill him, though, his conscious slowly started ebbing away. Within a short time, he was killing and manipulating many people; he even went as far as to kill the innocent wife and children of a man whom he considered his enemy. What started out as a doubt acted upon became a quick, almost unstoppable path of destruction. Every aspect of who he was, his conscious, was covered by the dark shadow cast by the corrupting sin.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Macbeth And Pablo Escobar

    1288 Words  | 6 Pages

    Macbeth was the Thane of Cawdor but he wanted to be king more than anything. The witches had told him that he would one day be king but he did not know how long that would take so when King Duncan had been invited to stay the night at his house he exclaimed that “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,/ shakes so my single state of man/ that function is smother 'd in surmise,/ and nothing is but what is not”(1.3.52-55). He felt that if he were to kill King Duncan that he would have a better chance of becoming king. Though the witches had never told him that someone would need to get murdered for him to become king, his ambition tempted him to quicken this process the only way he felt he could. This was the beginning of the murderer that the witches had created with the fortune telling.

    Read More

  • How Does The Supernatural Influence Macbeth

    781 Words  | 4 Pages

    Firstly, the witches’ revelations prompted Macbeth to murder his loyal companions. When the three witches spoke of Macbeth becoming king, it sparked the idea that this could be a realistic goal. On page 13, Act I, scene iii, Third Witch created insight, "All hail, Macbeth, who will soon be King." After sharing

    Read More

  • External Forces In Macbeth

    967 Words  | 4 Pages

    Lady Macbeth uses the tactic of belittling him about his manhood. Implying that he is not a man unless he does what she asks. She offers him to ease the burden of this crime. Not only does Lady Macbeth and the witches have an impact on Macbeth, he also is the last one to accept his poor choices he will make to lead him to the failure he

    Read More

  • Gender Stereotypes In Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1183 Words  | 5 Pages

    As Lady Macbeth continues to hide her “weak” attributes by displaying a stronger shell, she also reveals her sense of ambition. Although Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both seek power, it is obvious that power is what drives Lady Macbeth. From the second she knew about the witches’ prophecies, she made it her goal to become King and Queen. When she creates a plan to murder King Duncan, Macbeth shows he is nervous, Lady Macbeth finds this problematic and asks him to “project a peaceful mood, because if you look troubled, you will arouse suspicion.” (1.5.63-65).

    Read More

  • Essay Who Is Responsible For Macbeth's Downfall

    953 Words  | 4 Pages

    At the start of the play, Macbeth visits the witches with Banquo at the closing of the battle. The witches speak to Macbeth and Banquo and get the idea of a prophecy in Macbeth’s mind. “All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis./ All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor./ All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter” (1.3.46-48). When the witches get the prophecy in Macbeth’s mind, he believes it will come true and misunderstands the prophecy of the witches. Although the witches make Macbeth believe in the prophecy of becoming the King, Macbeth is responsible for his downfall because they do not recommend Macbeth to kill Duncan.

    Read More

  • Greed Quotes In Macbeth

    934 Words  | 4 Pages

    The witches were the first people to plant the idea of killing the king into Macbeth’s mind. They cause him to question his thoughts about becoming king. Macbeth at first thought that becoming “king stands not within the prospect of belief (I.iii.76-77).” Immediately after he becomes Thane of Cawdor, he begins to think about his future on the throne and does not appreciate Duncan’s gift to him of becoming the new Thane of Cawdor. The witches said what they did to Macbeth in order to drive him to the point in which he will kill the King, who gave him nothing but kindness.

    Read More

  • Changes In Macbeth

    1002 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the story “Macbeth” there were some characters that didn’t change throughout the book, but there are others that did. Lady Macbeth can be an example of a character that changed. Including to that, there is one character that changed the most. Becoming king was the cause of him being evil and selfish. Before Macbeth had become king he was a total different person.

    Read More

  • Who Is Responsible For Death In Macbeth

    1020 Words  | 5 Pages

    Macbeth” is a tragedy written by Shakespeare. The story is played somewhere between 1600 and was performed for King James 1.It is a tragedy about a man’s fall. It could be suggested that macbeth is responsible for the death of king Duncan. According to my point of view, Macbeth didn’t killed Duncan , banquo and macduff 's family because he wanted to be evil because he met the witches .He did everything because of ambition, jealousy , lust for power and because he was power hungry from the beginning.

    Read More

  • Character Development In Macbeth

    1021 Words  | 5 Pages

    The audience can now see his desires as well as his ambition. At this point, Macbeth is still hesitant of revealing his true nature, but the audience gets a peek of what he yearns for. In addition, the witches’ predictions are known to be paradoxical, their predictions are never straightforward; they tend to have different interpretations. Macbeth kills King Duncan to obtain the power he was told he’d get. Despite that, the witches never said to kill King Duncan; they told him he would become king.

    Read More

  • Supernatural Elements In Macbeth

    702 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Witches play a crucial role in the development of the narrative; their actions contribute greatly to the downwards spiral of Macbeth’s life and sanity, and the murder of King Duncan. Their introduction to the play establishes a supernatural element that is consistent throughout the play, allowing for further exploration of ideas such as the destruction of oneself as a result of being overambitious. Shakespeare creates a stormy, bleak, and ominous atmosphere when the Witches are first introduced, successfully associating them with a negative atmosphere. It is through their prophecies that Macbeth’s lust for the throne is encouraged, consequently leading him to his own demise and destruction of Scotland. The

    Read More

  • Essay On Macbeth Is Evil

    593 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the main character; Macbeth, is seen as an evil character. The play is based off of Macbeth’s decisions and his actions to become King. In the beginning Macbeth starts out as a hero in Scotland’s war with Ireland and towards the end he is transformed into a murderer. Macbeth is not wholly evil because of is heroism in the war, his love for Scotland, and because he didn’t want to kill King Duncan initially. Macbeth was brain washed by his wife and tricked into killing the King.

    Read More

  • Differences And Similarities Between The Witches Malcolm And Banquo

    599 Words  | 3 Pages

    We know that Macbeth is the Thane of Glamis, and right after this, Ross tells Macbeth he is the new Thane of Cawdor. This makes Macbeth believe that if he kills King Duncan, he can become king, because all the other prophecies came true. Without the witches prophecies, Macbeth would have not killed Duncan. By having Duncan killed, Scotland fell from the inside out because its ruler was murdered and no one knew by who. The witches are confusing characters, and I think they might have had a bigger goal then have Macbeth be king.

    Read More

More about Causes Of Macbeth's Downfall

Open Document