Macbeth's Murder of Duncan in William Shakespeare's Play

There are many influences Macbeth had to murder King Duncan. These

need to be examined closely to determine which was the most crucial

and influential on his decision to kill the King. Macbeth himself was

an influence in deciding to kill the King, also the witches, his wife,

Lady Macbeth, his own ambition and personal weakness all played a

part. These will all now be closely examined to determine the most

crucial.

The witches had a big influence on Macbeth to murder the King. The

witches are the very first people in the play to mention Macbeth as

King.

"All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!

All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!

All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be King hereafter."

When their promise of Macbeth becoming Thane of Cawdor comes true, it

whets his appetite for the third promise, that he will become King.

In his soliloquy in Act 1 scene 3, Macbeth begins to contemplate on

murder. "My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical." In the

letter that Macbeth writes to his wife telling of the witches he says,

"they have more in them than mortal knowledge." The witches are the

ones to blame for this. They put the idea of him becoming King into

his head, they raised the idea. But although they raised the idea they

are acting as a catalyst. Macbeth, even without the promise from the

witches, would have still contemplated on becoming King at some point.

His wife, Lady Macbeth was hungry for power and even his very own

character and position would influence him.

Lady Macbeth had a strong influence on Macbeth with the decision to

kill the King. She is ambitious and more determined than Macbeth. When

Lady Macbeth hears of the prophesy from the witches her initial

reaction is "yes." Although she worries about her husbands capability

to commit the murder.

"Yet do I fear thy nature;

It is too full o' the milk of human kindness."

She says he is too kind to commit such a deed, but she is going to