To what extent is Macbeth responsible for his own downfall?

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English Coursework- Sophie Garrod 5MCG

 

To what extent is Macbeth responsible for his own downfall?

     During this time in British history, there were many violent battles and plots used in everyday life. It was not wrong to barbarically kill someone using extreme methods during a battle. In fact, if the person was an enemy, rewards were entitled. Many people were also greatly affected by the Kings views on certain issues, and no one really had an opinion of their own, and if they ever spoke out against the King, serious punishments would have been applicable. I think that this was one of the reasons Macbeth committed the crimes he did. The surroundings, in which he was in as Thane of Glamis, influenced him greatly and he became bloodthirsty and excessively ambitious, even to the point where he was willing to kill another human being in order to get what he wanted. In my essay, I will begin to explain the people, the circumstances and certain aspects of Macbeth’s own personality, which drove him to commit such horrific crimes.

     In the first scene of the play, the witches are firstly introduced to the reader. The detail of this scene urges the reader’s imagination to sense a confusion of the usual human nature. The scene is a reverse of human values, and the readers mind enters a world of darkness and becomes a sinister challenge to ordinary goodness. The last lines of scene one, which the witches announce, “Foul is fair and fair is foul, hover through the fog and filthy air,” suggests that there is to be a complete change in someone’s life. In the third scene of the first act, the reader meets the witches again, this time they recount the dreadful things they can do to men and their conversation emphasizes that their evil and vindictive will cannot be ruined by men.

They then begin to perform a charm as Macbeth and Banquo return from a victorious war against the Highlanders and the Islanders. The ironic line in this scene is Macbeth’s first line in the play, which is surprisingly close to the manner of the witches “So foul and fair a day I have not seen.” It is also rather ironic how different the reactions are from Banquo and from Macbeth, for Banquo is calm and sceptical but Macbeth is perturbed and frightened. This shows that the witches have already begun to penetrate their evil into Macbeth’s mind. When the witches greet Macbeth they refer to him as Thane of Glamis first, then Thane of Cawdor which he could become and then “Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!” which implies that Macbeth could become the King quickly, I think this particular greeting stays in Macbeth’s mind for a long time, for its what he could become. He soon realises, however that the new prince of Cumberland (Malcolm) is a small obstacle in his ambition and proposes to act quickly “The Prince of Cumberland- that is a step, On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, For in my way it lays.” The irony of the witches’ power is that they never actually mention murder or a killing of any kind they just cunningly show Macbeth the way to more power. The murders, which Macbeth performs in the play, are his own thoughts put into action. Throughout the rest of the play, Macbeth becomes increasingly evil, his mind wrestles between good and evil which makes his mind contemplate the witches’ opinion. Overall, the witches play a very big part in Macbeths mind and their predictions are incredibly accurate which provides more of a persecuting dramatic portrayal of evilness.

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     Another person who contributes to Macbeth’s downfall is his wife, Lady Macbeth. When temptation of murder enters Macbeths mind, the evil thoughts begin to develop immediately, Macbeth cannot keep this extreme thought to himself so therefore he makes a decision to tell Lady Macbeth “The hearing of my wife with your approach; So humbly take my leave” this is what he announces to King Duncan after he returns from battle.

Macbeth writes a letter to Lady Macbeth informing her of the witches’ predictions, she knows of her husband’s ambition but thinks that he is too kind and ...

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