Part of The Student Room Group

  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

Macbeth: Theories on who is to blame for Macbeth's downfall

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

The Tragedy Is Macbeth hapless in general or is there someone responsible for his downfall? Macbeth, or other known as The Scottish Play, is a famous tragedy written by William Shakespeare. The plot of the play involves Macbeth, a war hero, who has just returned home from war. On the way home, Macbeth is informed by witches, or ?weird sisters?, that he will become the Thane of Cawdor, eventually becoming King of Scotland one day. The thought of becoming king excites Macbeth, and eventually Macbeth does become king of Scotland, but Macbeth becomes an unjust king. Macbeth becomes a paranoid, tyrant with tendencies of committing murder. Throughout the play, Macbeth rises to power but soon falls from the throne and to his death. There are three theories that correlate with Macbeth?s downfall. The witches, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth?s ambitions are responsible for Macbeth?s downfall. ...read more.

Middle

Lady Macbeth is partially responsible for Macbeth?s downfall because she is the person who convinces Macbeth to kill Duncan causing a rippling effect. When Macbeth is considering killing Duncan to become king, Lady Macbeth reads a letter and develops a desire to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to kill Duncan, but when Macbeth begins to doubt the plan, Lady Macbeth fights back. She asks Macbeth if he is a coward and questions Macbeth?s manhood. Lady Macbeth then goes on to tell Macbeth that he is breaking his promise to her, and she would rather kill her own child while breastfeeding than break a promise to Macbeth. Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to kill Duncan on his own later in the evening. Although Lady Macbeth changes drastically throughout the play and tries to stop Macbeth from killing more people, she still was the one who convinced Macbeth to kill Duncan beginning everything. ...read more.

Conclusion

Another reason why Macbeth?s ambitions are at fault is that after Lady Macbeth tries to stop Macbeth from killing once, Macbeth never confides in her again throughout the play. Macbeth knows that what he is doing is unjust and avoids telling Lady Macbeth, so he will not back out of his decisions. Macbeth?s own ambitions is what fatefully ends his life because Macbeth couldn?t control his dark side. Although the witches and Lady Macbeth are important contenders in Macbeth?s downfall, Macbeth?s ambition is what caused this tragedy. Even though Macbeth is manipulated by his wife and the witches, Macbeth is the one in control of his actions. ?I am in blood/Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,/Returning were as tedious as go o'er (iii.iv.135-137)?. The protagonist demolishes his option of going backwards when he kills Duncan, only fueling his ambitions even more even though he knows what he is doing is erroneous. All in all, Macbeth?s hamartia in this tragedy, is the reason Macbeth fell from power and to his death. ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Macbeth section.

Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

or


Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related GCSE Macbeth essays

  1. How is Macbeth persuaded to kill Duncan: Is his wife entirely to blame?

    Lady Macbeth, like Macbeth himself, instantaneously thinks of killing, or getting Macbeth to kill Duncan, though she exclaims that Macbeth "is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way." Unlike Macbeth, she doesn't have soliloquies contemplating the consequences of the murder of Duncan, so the

  2. Who was responsible for the downfall of Scotland?

    as weak, therefore he could be blamed for Scotland's downfall because if he was a strong leader he would have been more cautious because in the words of his son Donalbain 'there's are daggers in men's smiles'. However, I don't believe that the blame can be laid on Duncan, as

  1. Who Is To Blame For The Tragedy Of Macbeth?

    After the witches told Macbeth the prophecies, Macbeth straight away goes and writes a letter to Lady Macbeth, involving her and telling her about the witches. Lady Macbeth, like Macbeth himself, instantly thinks of killing, or getting Macbeth to kill Duncan although she says to Macbeth about his nature, 'It

  2. How is Macbeth persuaded to kill Duncan: Is his wife entirely to blame?

    As soon as the news of this title comes into Macbeth's knowledge, he whispers aside "The greatest is behind," which can be interpreted as Macbeth saying that two of the three prognoses have been fulfilled, and only one is left to be accomplished.

  1. The Downfall of Macbeth

    - 2:2:70-1 The entire scene (Act 2, scene 2) is a tense one, Shakespeare portrays the tension through their rigid speech and monosyllabic question and response. Shakespeare also uses the confrontation of two rivals later on in the play to create an edge, Macduff and Macbeth in Act 5, scene 7, and uses the humour in the porter scene

  2. How can blame be apportioned in “Macbeth”?

    society, pursuing her own ruthless motives. In the process she reject even her own femininity. However, there are flaws in her control. Repeatedly Lady Macbeth gives the appearance of being in control but like so much else in the play this comes at a price. Lady Macbeth cannot simply create her own reality, cut off from society and humanity.

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work