Essay On Macbeth's Downfall

Macbeth’s Downfall

Joko Beck, an American author once said, “We have self-centered minds which get us into plenty of trouble. If we do not come to understand the error in the way we think, our self-awareness, is our downfall.” In other words, we get ourselves into trouble because of our characteristics and eventually if we do not get control of ourselves it will lead to a downfall. Macbeth is a tragedy written by Shakespeare, throughout the play, the main character Macbeth negates his responsibilities to maintain his power and become even more powerful. Macbeth meets three witches who tell him prophecies, one of which says he will become king. After hearing this, Macbeth has a great desire to become king, and to do so he kills the current king, Duncan and anyone who gets in his way. He puts his faith in the prophesies that the three witches have told him. Shakespeare

Lady Macbeth says and does many things to get Macbeth to do as she says which in the end lead to his downfall. Lady Macbeth seems to want Macbeth to have power more than he wants it himself. She says to her husband, “yet I do fear thy nature; it is too full o’ the milk of human kindness”(200). Lady Macbeth is telling Macbeth that he is too feminine because he is not sure if he wants to kill Duncan in the beginning. Lady Macbeth knows how easily Macbeth can be persuaded so she knows what to say. She says “hie thee hither, that I may pour my spirits in thine ear” (200). Lady Macbeth says she will do whatever she has to do to make Macbeth kill Duncan. Literary critic Stephanie Chamberlin says “Scholars have traditionally read this as well as her earlier "unsex me here" (1.5.39) invocation as evidence of Lady Macbeth's attempt to seize a masculine power to further Macbeth's political goals” (72). Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to do what she won’t do and Macbeth’s flaw of being easily persuaded leads to his