Factors Contributing to Macbeth's Downfall in William Shakespeare's Macbeth In William Shakespeare's famous play Macbeth, there are many reasons for Macbeth's gradual downfall. Numerous factors contributed to Macbeth's ruin, such as his own character flaws and his demanding wife, Lady Macbeth. The Three Witches, however, caused Macbeth the most trouble. First, the sisters stirred his dormant ambitions to be king. In addition to this, the witches' prophesies gave Macbeth a false sense of security. Finally, their predictions falsely led Macbeth to believe he would some day be happy. The Witches' contributed the most to Macbeth's destruction by first stirring his deep lying ambitions, also by giving him a false sense of security and finally, by allowing Macbeth to believe he would someday be content. Naturally, Macbeth was third in line to become King of Scotland. Deep in his heart, he desperately wanted the crown, and all the power that came with it. Macbeth suppressed his feelings, however, until he heard the three witches' first prophecy. "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter", were the witch's words. When Macbeth heard this, his desperate need for the crown revealed itself because he realized it was possible to take the thrown. When Macbeth's yearning to be king could not be overcome, he did not let anything stand in his way of being crowned, even if that meant he had to commit murder. The Three Witches ignited Macbeth's desire to be king with their prophecy. When the witches told Macbeth that no man born of a woman could harm him, he would not be defeated until the forest came to his castle, and that his only threat was Macduff, Macbeth felt very secure about his kingship. Little did Macbeth know, that all of these foretellings would bring about his demise. Macduff was born out of a dead woman, so he was the only one who could hurt Macbeth. When Malcolm's army attacked Macbeth's castle, they camouflaged themselves with trees, thus giving the appearance of the forest coming to the castle. Finally, Macduff was the only thing that Macbeth had to worry about, because he was not born of a woman, and could kill Macbeth. Macbeth completely disregarded the Witches' prophecies because he thought of them as rubbish. Had the three witches told Macbeth the real truth that they ticked him out of believing, Macbeth would not have gotten so cocky as a result of his security.
Throughout the play, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth continuously decides bad choices and the consequences of these decisions catch up to Macbeth and result in his mental deterioration, however with Macbeth’s almost infant feel for ambition this makes him susceptible to manipulation, which then grows into an insatiable appetite for power. The acts of this with the manipulation from outsiders, causes his blind ambition, his false sense of security and then finally his guilt, which all contribute to his derangement.
...two apparitions make Macbeth feel like his title as king is safe. He thinks this because Macbeth takes all of what the apparitions say literally and straightforward. Macbeth feels that it is impossible for Birnam wood to move towards the castle, this is ironic because the audience knows that the bark and branches from trees from Birnam wood have been used to camouflage the number of soldiers heading towards Macbeth’s castle. Macbeth does not think of it in this point of view, therefore making him feel very safe and confident about the war. The apparitions told warned Macbeth that Macduff is a threat to his title as king, and Macbeth took action by hiring murderers to kill Macduff’s whole family. Macbeth lies to the murderers and makes them believe that Macduff has been unfaithful to them just so that the murderers would go through with his plan.
have said has come true and now the greatest is yet to come i.e. being
Macbeth's Downfall in William Shakespeare's Play 'Macbeth' by William Shakespeare is a play set in 1040 about a Scottish general named Macbeth. It explores the transformation and effect of his ambition upon his life. Although it is set in 1040, it is written in the 1606 under the reign of James 1st. James' very recent accession to the English throne would have been of great contemporary importance and a play which focuses on Kingship would have roused interest too.
After all of the conflict that happens throughout the play Macbeth, all these characters are to blame. Macbeth himself should be blamed because at the end of the day he did not have to go through with any of the things the witches or his wife Lady Macbeth told him. Lady Macbeth should have some blame because she was the one who persuaded Macbeth into doing all the evil things. Finally, the witches should also have blame because they make Macbeth feel too secure. After everything in this play is said and done, it is clearly shows that ambition, cruelty and greed are the main factors that lead to the tragic downfall of Macbeth.
The witches’ prophecies helped fuel Macbeth’s hidden desire to become king and greatly shaped him to do anything in order to have the prophecy come true, even commit murder. If it were not for their predictions, Macbeth would not have thought about becoming king. “…Macbeth clearly confides in their prophecies and believes them to be truths…” (Macbeths Demise). When finding out that one of the predictions came true, he was led to believe he would become a great king. The witches misguided Macbeth by only telling him half truths and tricked him into a disastrous path that would lead to his demise. Also, the three seers helped influence Macbeth by letting him see a part of himself that was hidden inside him. “They planted the seed of evil in Macbeth's head that grew to dominate his mind.” (Witches Influence on Macbeths Decisions), which, let his desire consume him until the only thing he thought about was to become king. The witches’ prophecies were not the only force that influenced Macbeth into committing a crime but his own faults also influenced him.
The prophecies told by the witches are one of the factors that contributed to the degeneration of Macbeth's character. If it had not been for the witches' revelation that he was to become, "Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glamis, and King of Scotland" (I.iii.46--49), Macbeth would've still been his ordinary self. As a result of the prophecies, the arousal of Macbeth's curiosity concerning the possibility of how he could be King of Scotland could be seen. As the play progresses, Macbeth slowly relies on and devotes his trust to the witches' prophecies. Shakespeare utilizes the witches as a remedy for Macbeth's curiosity thereby corrupting his character.
Macbeth’s downfall was partially caused by Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth’s influences made Macbeth feel like less of a man. One part of the play shows Macbeth being denounced as by his wife as she essentially calls him a coward for not wanting to kill Duncan. She says, “Woulds’t thou have that which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem, letting ‘I dare not’ wait upon ‘I would’, like the poor cat i’the adage.” (Act 1, Scene 7, Line 40-45) ...
At the outset of the play, Macbeths encounters the witches who predict he will become “Thane of Cowdor” and that he too, will one day be king. Nevertheless, the witches do not oblige Macbeth to ultimately commit his actions. However, they do place within Macbeth a sense of wonder and optimism. The three witches intruded upon a part of man, which that he is gullible. Macbeth being gullible caused his wonder and brought forth a feeling of possibility. This is evident, when Macbeth tells his wife of what he has experienced. Upon revealing what was told to him, Lady Macbeth further on, appeals to Macbeth to take action when King Duncan comes to visit. Lady Macbeth urges her husband to fulfill his obligation and kill King Duncan. However, it is apparent that Macbeth is hesitant of such action and is at first unwilling to go forth with the plan. Once again Lady Macbeth alludes to the witches vision and with that, lusts upon the possible gains. The plan is executed and Macbeth becomes King. upon the vacancy of the throne. The witches’ vision is obtained, through the natural human sense of possibility and lust.
In fear of losing this power to his friend Banquo or his son Fleance, whom of which the witches said would be king after Macbeth and would yield a long line of kings, Macbeth had them murdered in the woods while they were out horseback riding. This proves that he truly believes in what the witches have to say about him and his future, which leads him to back to seek out more of the witches half truths to see what else would come of his future. The next set of prophecies that the witches had to offer were shown in a set of three apparitions. The first said “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife,” the second apperition then spoke “none of woman born can harm Macbeth,” the third aperition then said “Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him”(Shakespeare,168-170). Some say it was the witches fault for Macbeth’s actions next, but in reality it was Macbeth’s and Macbeth’s alone. Due to these three prophecies Macbeth’s level of arrogance went up along with his hunger for power as well, his level of common sense was decreasing faster and faster. Macbeth’s lack of common sense caused him to make rash decisions without thinking them through. Such as when he says “From this moment the very firstlings of my
Macbeth hears that he is prophesied to be king, and lets his bad judgment take over. Macbeth relies on the witches’ prophecies to tell him of his future and what danger is to come. Macbeth is naïve because he takes the prophecies as he hears them: “All hail Macbeth! You’ll be king one day” (Macbeth, Act I, Scene III, 50). Macbeth takes it into his own hands and kills the king. After Macbeth is crowned he heads back to the witches to make sure his title is secure. The witches give him four apparitions: “Beware Macduff!”(Macbeth, Act IV, scene I, 72), “Nobody born of woman shall harm Macbeth” (Macbeth, Act IV, scene I, 80),”...
Look at the second set of prophesies. The witches tell Macbeth to beware of Macduff. They tell him that "no one born of a woman shall harm Macbeth." The witches are being sneaky here to give Macbeth the illusion that he cannot be harmed. Macduff eventually kills Macduff. Does Macduff, who is not born of woman, (his mother passed before he was born) kill Macbeth because of fate? Maybe he does but why does Macduff want to kill Macbeth anyway? Macbeth killed the king and took the throne, so there is an apparent reason that it was Macbeth?s choice.
The witches have a strong effect on Macbeth's character; they highly influence him in his accomplishments and awake his ambitions. They give Macbeth a false sense of security with their apparitions of truths. Instead they prove to be harmful for Macbeth who takes too much comfort and confidence in his interpretation of the truths. They are the ones who plant the actual idea of killing Duncan into Macbeth's mind. But if it were only the witches prophecies, then Macbeth surely would not have murdered the king. 'When you durst to do it, then you were a man,' (Macbeth, Shakespeare Act 1 Scene 7) Lady Macbeth's constant harassment pushed Macbeth and made him commit all this evil. When you reason things out by yourself you tend to now what is right and what is wrong, a conscience. But with the outside influence from the witches he thinks that that is his destiny and he must do everything to fulfill it. One can wonder if Macbeth ever had a chance of doing what was right after he met with the witches. He is overthrown and killed. Through his own ambitions, the ambition of his wife and the witches' prophesies, Macbeth has caused his own destruction and downfall. We can now clearly see that ambition not achieved through our own ability leads to destruction. 'Hail Thane of Glamis and of Cawdor and shalt be King hereafter'. (Act 1 Scene 3) These prophecies from three strangers are taken without question and probably without good judgment. Just the thought that he may be King clouds his thoughts and ambition takes over. The witches can predict the future, they can add temptation, and influence Macbeth, but they cannot control his destiny.
The three witches who introduce the play immediately strike the audience as representatives of evil, instantly establishing Macbeth as their ‘victim’, one whom they have chosen to involve in their plans. In the first act, Macbeth is shown to be a noble, cousin to the king, a valiant and worthy man: “Brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name”, just as the witches are shown to be malicious, evil creatures, recounting their cruel dealings. In his meeting them, the suggestion of his royalty is quickly seeded – their words provoke him and set in motion his demise. In the forth act, he is shown to have walked even further down the path of corruption to the point that he no longer shows the qualities of a good man in his seeking of the witches themselves – seeking the instruments of darkness, and thus embracing evil. Their original meeting with him sparked his ambition, and it is of his own accord and conscious choice that he seeks them out – it is no influence of theirs that leads him to meet with them a second time. Consequently, without the interference of the witches, Macbeth would not have begun his unforgivable massacre but his own corrupted nature takes him further than the initial prompting of the witches. In originally finding Macbeth and prophesising his ascension to power, the witches take partial responsibility in Macbeth’s downfall as they began the entire process of Macbeth’s rise and fall.
In the beginning of the play Macbeth was given a new heading in act 1