Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, analyzes the tragic downfall of a man who pursued his prophecy given to him by three witches, and suffered the downfall because of it. Told his power was inevitable, Macbeth explores the idea of murdering the King to achieve his goal of becoming King himself. Macbeth continually faces this, contemplating the moral issue of committing murder to in turn, fulfill his powerful destiny. While facing this internal conflict, Lady Macbeth developes an influence over Macbeth as well. Driven by her own desire to be Queen, Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to commit the murder, by challenging his manhood and often reminding him that it is, in fact, his destiny. We see the two counter each other’s claims throughout this as
Often times in literature, the downfall of a character arises due to both external and internal forces. In Macbeth, William Shakespeare demonstrates that the downfall of Macbeth arises due to both internal and external forces, but among the two, internal forces have a greater influence on the outcome. The forces of Macbeth’s own nature, the supernatural and Lady Macbeth all contribute to his downfall but the true deciding factors are the forces within.
Through the tragic play Macbeth, William Shakespeare depicts that unchecked ambition unsupported with effort will lead to nothing but detrimental outcomes. More specifically, Macbeth's “vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself” ended up being a larger hinderance than advantage, single handedly leading to the demise of himself and the demise of others around him. Macbeth's ambition was the cause of death of many people that surrounded him. The first to die to because of Macbeth's ambition was the king.
Oscar Wilde once said, "Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” Sometimes, the guidance of external forces changes the course of action by providing temptation and implementing persuasiveness. This confuses the consciousness and leads to a disgruntled view of appearance and reality. As a result, decisions made under the authority of outside influences are not representative of one’s true self. Unfortunately, with enough exposure, one’s characteristics begin to change and morph into a reality that cannot be reversed. The power of manipulative forces can be seen in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The title character, Macbeth, is misused by dark and sinister authorities
Macbeth sees himself as ambitious and gets offended if anyone suggests that he is anything other than a good man. He cares gravely about the opinions of his wife Lady Macbeth, who wants to see him as king, those of the king himself, and those of his companions’. Macbeth wants to be king because he wants the approval of others. To start, Macbeth is not always confident about having to kill King Duncan to rise to power because Duncan praises Macbeth and trusts him. In Act 1, Scene 4, King Duncan says to Macbeth, “I have begun to plant thee, and will labour / To make thee full of growing” (1.4.33-34).
EXAMINE HOW MACBETH’S ACTIONS LED TO HIS OWN DOWNFALL Throughout Shakespeare’s Macbeth it becomes evident that Macbeth’s demise as the tragic hero occurs as a consequence of his own actions. Macbeth examines themes of overarching ambition, changing and controlling fate, and disruptions in the natural order. These ideas are exemplified through Macbeth’s characterisation as the tragic hero, through the emphasis that is placed upon his hamartia and through the evidence of his attempts to change his fate.
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.
In Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, Macbeth was a victim of both free will and fate. One was not more predominant than the other. It seemed as if Macbeth was just following his destiny at first, but he had a chance to change his fate. It was his lust for power that leads him to doom through his own free will.
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.
Blind Ambition and Greed The play “Macbeth”, by William Shakespeare illustrates many themes through the characters from the beginning to the end of the story. But the main central theme introduced is Ambition and Greed. As the play goes on we read how Macbeth permits his Ambition and Greed to dictate the outcomes and tragedy’s that occur to himself and others.
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.
Macbeth’s horrid actions are escalated from the prophecy, of him becoming king, from three witches(1.3.48-50). The third witch brings the inviting line to Macbeth when she says, “All hail, Macbeth,that shalt be king hereafter”(1.3.50)! This implies that Macbeth will become king, even though there is currently a great king who everyone adores. Macbeth realizes that the only way for them to become royal is through the murder of King Duncan and his sons. Macbeth immediately sends his wife, Lady Macbeth, a letter hidden with murderous innuendos.
Lady Macbeth is the next reason for Macbeth’s actions because without her support of encouraging him to kill Duncan, Macbeth would have have never had the strength to kill and destroy to major extremes. And lastly, Macbeth was selfish, and for these factors it make him turn evil and twisted. If it wasn’t for the witches influences and telling the future, then Macbeth would
At the beginning of William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ the protagonist Macbeth is described as ‘brave’, ‘noble’ and ‘honourable’, however Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeths desire for power consumes them. Macbeth’s ambition overrides his conscience and transformed his greatest strength into his greatest weakness. Macbeth’s inability to resist temptations that led him to be greedy for power, Macbeth’s easily manipulative nature which allowed his mind to be swayed, Macbeth having no self control and his excessive pride was what allowed him to renew his previously honourable and celebrated title into one of an evil ‘tyrant’. Macbeth is led by the prophecies of the witches after they foretell he will become the Thane of Cawdor. Not only the witches, but also his wife easily manipulate Macbeth as she attacks his manhood in order to provoke him to act on his desires.
The play Macbeth written by Shakespeare focuses on the rise and fall of the main character, Macbeth. Macbeth’s one critical decision was largely influenced by his wife, Lady Macbeth, and this influence is exemplified early on in the play. In Act I Scene vii, Macbeth seemingly decides against killing King Duncan; however, Lady Macbeth persuades him to go ahead with the deed through her compelling argument. Moreover, Lady Macbeth’s ability to influence her husband so greatly demonstrates the strength of their marriage. By appealing both emotionally and logically to her husband, Lady Macbeth very easily convinces him against his own conscience.