Macbeth is a character in William Shakespeare's play. He is a victim of his character to a great extent. Macbeth’s ambition, desire for power, and vulnerability to persuasion ultimately lead to his downfall. Firstly, Macbeth's ambition and desire for power is the primary driving force behind his downfall. Macbeth is ambitious to the point of obsession, and his desire for power leads him to commit a series of evil crimes. Macbeth's ambition led him to ignore his conscience which is noticeable in Act 2, Scene 2, where he spoke of hearing a voice crying out after he killed King Duncan, saying, "Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! / Macbeth does murder sleep' - the innocent sleep, / Sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care" (2.2.39-42). …show more content…
His ambition has taken control of him, leading him to ignore his better judgment and commit evil crimes, which is why he is having these hallucinations. In Act 1, Scene 3, when the witches prophesize that he will become king, Macbeth admits, "My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, / Shakes so my single state of man that function / Is smother'd in surmise" (1.3.138-141). This shows that Macbeth was already considering murder as a means to achieve his ambition, even though he hasn’t yet fully committed to the idea. His ambition and desire for power ultimately led him to commit several murders, including those of King Duncan, Banquo, and Macduff's family. In Act 1, Scene 3, Macbeth was told by the witches that he will become king. This prophecy ignited his ambition and desire for power. He said, "Why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair / And …show more content…
Lady Macbeth manipulated and controlled him through emotional blackmail and psychological manipulation. In Act 1, Scene 7, Lady Macbeth says, "Art thou afeard / To be the same in thine own act and valour, / As thou art in desire?" (1.7.39-41). She played on Macbeth's sense of masculinity and pride to convince him to murder King Duncan. No man would want to be seen as weak and not manly, so he needed to prove her wrong. He fell into her manipulative trap. Yes, the witches and Lady Macbeth certainly play a role in persuading him to kill but Macbeth is ultimately responsible for his own choices. With his first encounter with the witches, he was initially skeptical of their predictions, but he became so fixated on the idea of becoming king. Lady Macbeth encouraged him to take action, but she cannot force him to commit murder. It was he who had the last say. Macbeth specifically requests that she not "utter [her] thoughts" (1.5.73) on the subject of killing Duncan, showing that he is not completely under her control. In Act 3, Scene 1, Macbeth decided to have Banquo and his son, Fleance, killed to eliminate any potential threats to his power. He said, "Our fears in Banquo / Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature / Reigns that which would be feared" (3.1.51-53). Macbeth's fear and paranoia drove him to make decisions that are both cruel and shortsighted. Macbeth's
The hallucinations Macbeth suffers from are because of the regret and guilt Macbeth is feeling after the murders he has committed. “Is this a dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand? / Come, let me clutch thee. / I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.” (2.1.33-44). Macbeth murders Duncan after this quote is said, representing that Macbeth's guilt had already started to build up even before killing him.
By questioning Macbeth's masculinity Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into committing deeds such as killing King Duncan. Lady
Therefore Macbeth can be considered not responsible for his downfall due to the witches who sprouted and encouraged the idea of him becoming king. They knew Macbeth's weaknesses and easily took control of him. In this play, the witches were crucial in persuading Macbeth to kill King Duncan. Macbeth would not have developed the idea if he hadn't come across them. When the witches decided to tell Macbeth, which they aren’t supposed to, everything began.
Macbeth has been so far unaware of the witches poisoning his mind with prophecies and making him greedy. Macbeth’s ambitiousness and also recklessness with knowing his fate corrupted him as a king. Overall, Macbeth is at fault for his own actions after demanding to know more from the evil
Macbeth was an ambitious and treacherous man, and so was his wife. He started a murder live, and made a plan with his wife to kill all people who were on his way to be a King. He killed his friend Banquo, King Duncan and Macduff’s descendants. As King, Macbeth started a storming live because of the culpability. He was having hallucinations
Macbeth’s failures are the direct result of the poor choices he makes when influenced by outside forces. The external influences of Lady Macbeth’s forcefulness, the witches’ prophecies, and his own blind greed conspired to ruin him. This demonstrates that people can be easily manipulated into self-depriving choices. Macbeth’s first failure occurred when the witches influenced him with their prophecy.
The reason she uses his masculinity against him is so Macbeth proves he is a man by doing what she wants. This horrifying tactic works, and as a result, Macbeth slaughters Duncan, and Lady Macbeth proves to be successful. This indicates how manipulative Lady Macbeth is and how extensive of a role she has in Macbeth’s defeat. Without a doubt, Macbeth's strong ambition is a key internal factor contributing to his downfall. Macbeth’s hunger for more power than he can bear primarily leads him to defeat.
Lady Macbeth's ambition and manipulation lead to a downward spiral of violence and guilt for Macbeth. He becomes consumed by his own guilt and fear of being discovered. This eventually leads to his downfall, as he becomes paranoid, and he cannot ‘'sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep', which shows he cannot sleep and be at rest after he killed King Duncan. Macbeth losing his sanity is Shakespeare trying to write a cautionary tale to the audience due to
From honored soldier to murderous tyrant, Macbeth killed his way into power. He was informed of his “destiny” and stopped at nothing to achieve it. He had multiple chances to rethink his actions. He didn 't however, he kept on his march to power leaving only himself to blame. Macbeth is the only one to blame for his actions and ultimately, his death.
The witches put it into his mind that he will be king and Lady Macbeth helps him act on the ambition they instilled in him. By allowing his wife to plot the murder of King Duncan, he goes along and murders him in his bed. No matter his loyalties to the king, he allowed the witches and his wife to influence his decision on who to listen to: his wife or his conscience. He follows his wife’s plan, and murders the king, and the
She is the one who convinces him to murder King Duncan in order to fulfill the prophecy. Macbeth is hesitant at first, but Lady Macbeth's manipulation and questioning of his masculinity that drove him to commit the heinous act. Lady Macbeth's influence on Macbeth's actions proves to be a fatal one, as it sets him on a path of destruction. Her words and actions are a reminder of the power of persuasion and how it can be used to manipulate individuals into fulfilling one's own desires. Macbeth's fate was also influenced by the social and political context of the time.
(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
As he becomes more consumed by guilt over the murders he commits, he becomes increasingly paranoid and begins to see hallucinations. For example, after killing King Duncan, he states "Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep'—the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care, The death of each day's life, sore labor’s bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast" (Macbeth Act 2, Scene 2, Line 34-39a). This quote illustrates how Macbeth's guilt is preventing him from finding peace even in sleep and disturbing his mental
So, in simpler terms, Macbeth goes from being brave to being paranoid and troubled. He wants to be king and does bad things to get there,
I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on 't again I dare not.” (Act II, sc ii, Lines 48-50). Macbeth is getting extremely paranoid and feels bad killing Duncan. Macbeths ambitions caused him to murder Duncan, but he also had Banquo murdered, and wanted to murder Banquo 's son, Fleance. Macbeth wants Banquo killed because he saw him as a threat; however, Banquo had been Macbeth 's friend and thought he could trust him. "