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

suggests that Macbeth's character flaws lead to his downfall. His flaws include his guilty conscience, his ambition for power and the ability to be easily convinced.

When you have a guilty conscience, whatever was done is the only thing on your mind. Once Macbeth murdered King Duncan he could not keep his mind off of it. He could not think correctly and had many different thoughts running through his head, he wanted to go back and fix what he had just done. Macbeth could barely speak when he says Still it cried, “Sleep no more!” to all the house. ‘Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor. Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more.’”(210). Now that he has murdered Duncan, he is hearing voices warning others not to sleep in the house anymore because they could be murdered too.

He was constantly going back to what he had done, feeling regretful. After Macbeth murdered Duncan he said “to know my deed, ‘twere best not myself. Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst” (212). Macbeth wishes that the knocking sound he hears would wake up Duncan. He is feeling regret after committing the murder. Macbeth begins to think that Banquo knows he killed Duncan, he then plans to kill him. Macbeth's guilt has gotten to the point where he is envisioning objects and people. Once he has killed Banquo, his conscience begins to eat him alive more and more. Banquo's ghost appears in a chair next to him and he tells him “thou canst not say I did it; never shake thy gory locks at me”(227). Macbeth does not want anyone to know that he has done this so he tells Banquo that he can not point fingers because he has no proof he did it. Macbeth’s guilty conscience is leading towards his downfall. Chris Johnson says that the play “Macbeth.' [features an] ambitious, guilt-ridden protagonist” (1).

Sometimes people want things so much that it is the only thing that matters to them and it is their main focus; giving up on all other important issues. Macbeth considers his ambition the greatest thing in his life. He believes that his ambition is the only thing that influenced him to kill Duncan. Macbeth says, “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself” (204). Macbeth believes that his ambition is the only thing that is forcing him to kill Duncan after going back and forth on whether he really wanted to do it. Macbeth no longer cares about anyone but himself and maintaining power. He feels there is no turning back when he says, “for my own good All causes shall give way. I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er” (229). Macbeth feels that he is too far in and it is too late to start caring about anyone or anything else. His ambition to be the most powerful has taken him too far. If Macbeth feels in anyway that someone may have a chance to be more powerful than him he lets the greatest thing in his life take over. He is talking to himself and makes a plan, “from this moment the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand... The castle of Macduff I will surprise; give to the edge o’ the sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line”(239). Literary critic Edward E. Foster states that Macbeth “is an ambition man overpowered by his high aspirations”(1). Macbeth’s ambition plays a very big role in his major downfall.

Another flaw of Macbeth is that he can very easily be persuaded to do things.

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

downfall.

Shakespeare suggests that Macbeth’s traits lead to his major downfall.

Works Cited

Chamberlain, Stephanie. "Fantasizing Infanticide: Lady Macbeth And The Murdering Mother In Early Modern England." College Literature 32.3 (2005): 72-91. Academic Search Elite. Web. 1 May 2016.

Foster, Edward E. "Macbeth." Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. Web. 1 May 2016.

McDonnell, Helen M. Macbeth. England in Literature. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman, 1982. N. Print.

"Opening Canadian Opera Season." Maclean's 99.42 (1986): 58. Academic Search Elite. Web. 1 May 2016.