Who Is The Most Responsible For Macbeth's Downfall

681 Words2 Pages

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have total control over someone? People would do everything you tell them to and they would always listen to you. In life, many people wish they could have that kind of power. Although, things probably will not end too well when you go a little too far. Macbeth a play by William Shakespeare, is an outstanding example of how characters manipulate Macbeth to his downfall. The character that is the most responsible for Macbeth’s downfall is Lady Macbeth because Lady Macbeth evil and manipulates Macbeth to kill people to get what he wants. Lady Macbeth is very manipulative as she is the one to push Macbeth to murder. Some may say that she just wants what is best for Macbeth or that she is motivating him to achieve …show more content…

She tells Macbeth he will “live a cowerd in thine own self esteem letting ‘I dove not’ wait upon ‘I would’.” (1.7 46-8) She is telling Macbeth that he will live as a coward that will always say “I can not” after saying “I want to”. Obviously no one wants to be looked at as a coward so they do whatever they can to remove themselves from that title, even if it means murder. Another example of Lady Macbeth putting down Macbeth is when she tells him,”When you durst do it, then you were a man.” (1.7.56) She says that when you dare to do it -commit the murder-, that is when you will be a man. Every male wants to be seen as a man. So for Lady Macbeth to tell Macbeth that he will only be a man when he commits the murder, it pushes him further to want to do it. This is how Lady Macbeth uses put downs to manipulate her husband, Macbeth, to murder King …show more content…

She is speaking to Macbeth as she says,” Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this.” (1.7.65-7) She describes, in great detail, a horrific scene of smashing a baby’s brains out. She is telling Macbeth that unlike him, when she promises to do one thing, she gets the job done, even if it is a terrible deed. Another example of how Lady Macbeth is evil takes place after the murder. Macbeth accidentally brings out the daggers and Lady Macbeth takes them from him and says,”It must seem their guilt.” (2.2.57) This shows that Lady Macbeth will go to any extent to make sure they do not get caught. She is willing to frame two innocent people for the murder of King Duncan. This is how Lady Macbeth is evil and will do anything to get what she

Open Document