Macbeth Quotes Analysis

In countless novels and literary works, knowledge of a future has led to the downfall of those trying to manipulate it. This aberration serves as a central theme of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, where Macbeth’s knowledge of a future fuels him to commit unspeakable acts in order to manipulate the future to his liking. Macbeth is initially characterized as a dignified warrior who is a hero of Scotland, valiantly winning a gruesome war. This noble image of him is progressively tainted as he becomes a tyrannical ruler who does not hesitate to exterminate those who pose a threat to his throne. Although Macbeth falls victim to the influence of the witches and Lady Macbeth, he is the only one responsible for his demise.
The murder of King Duncan serves as Macbeth’s first step toward his undoing. Initially, Macbeth is depicted as a war hero who would sacrifice his life for his country, demonstrating his immense audacity. This characterization takes a quick turn after he learns his future; when he kills King Duncan, Macbeth

jumps off a cliff, serving as only the beginning of his prolonged fall to his demise. After his return from the war, he receives a lot of praise for his atrocity towards the enemy: “he unseamed him from the nave to th’ chops” (1.2.24). Shortly after being praised, King Duncan rewards him for his bravery and service to the country. Subsequently, Macbeth again reveals his barbarous nature, leading him to murder the king that he was once so loyal to. Despite the fact that he was influenced by Lady Macbeth and the witches, Macbeth murdered King Duncan himself, and did it with a sound mind, making him the guilty party. After the murder, Macbeth enters a state of emotional withdrawal. This serves as a turning point in Macbeth’s life, as he longer knows right from wrong. Since he crosses the line into immorality, he longer feels the need to think before he acts, fueling him to commit more inhumane and diabolical acts without hesitation. This connects back to the infamous line delivered by the witches, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air”(1.1.11-12), for it demonstrates how after one crosses the line into immorality, he or she loses perspective of right and wrong, making all diabolical actions seem “fair”. This creed relates back to Lady Macbeth’s guilt for Duncan’s murder, for her deep desire for power and royalty fuel her ambition to push Macbeth to commit such heinous deeds.
Macbeth’s fall towards his demise is accelerated further by the plot to murder his comrade, Banquo, and his son. Since Macbeth committed the worst of acts to claim the throne, he does not hesitate to do more of the same to protect it. Because the witches tell Macbeth his heir would be Banquo’s son and not his, he acts swiftly to kill them both, eliminating any threat to his crown. After the murder of Banquo, an overwhelming feeling of guilt consumes Macbeth, causing him to lose his sanity. Subsequently, to demonstrate his loss of sanity, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, making him more insane as time passes. He loses self-control, and starts yelling at the ghost, “Avaunt, and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee. … Hence, horrible shadow! Unreal mock’ry, hence!” (3.4.113-129) Macbeth’s mind is left dilapidated after his encounter with Banquo, causing him to make foolish discretions in the future, adding fuel to the fire that is his destruction.
The final push leading Macbeth to his dissolution is his plot to murder Macduff’s family.
After all, Macbeth has gone through to protect his throne, there isn’t anything that he isn’t willing to do, for he has lost all sense of humanity and sanity, fully embracing the ideology “fair is foul and foul is fair”.

All of his subjects fear him, for he has lost everything, and people will always ‘fear the man who has nothing to lose.’ He has drifted apart from everyone and everything he used to love, including his wife. A man who loves nothing has nothing to fear, and everyone fears the man who has nothing to lose. He symbolically proclaims, “The castle of Macduff I will surprise … give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line … This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool” (4.1.172-175). This demonstrates how Macbeth has nothing to lose, making him extremely dangerous. Thus, he slaughters people who pose no threat to his throne and are completely innocent, essentially killing them for no

reason.
The man who had nothing to lose, Macbeth, is very unpredictable, for he sees no right or wrong, only a goal he must achieve. It does not matter to Macbeth how he achieves this goal, just as long as he reaches it. His reckless actions propel Macduff, the man who once had everything, to kill Macbeth. Macduff was a man who had everything he wanted, until he lost it, making him a man who also had nothing to lose. Macduff realizes his family was killed due to his association with Macbeth, giving him the thirst to avenge them personally by killing Macbeth.
Although Macbeth is heavily influenced by the three witches and Lady Macbeth, he ultimately deserves the blame for his demise. He repeatedly ignores his conscience and commits numerous murders and other abhorrent actions, which lead him slowly to his destruction. As he commits these acts, he pushes himself further and further toward his demise and is unable to see it because he is so far into the dark. Therefore, it is evident that Macbeth created all of his own problems up until his death, demonstrating how he is the only one to blame for his tragic downfall.