Who Is To Blame For Macbeth's Tragic Downfall?

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Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s tragedies, depicts the treacherous steps that one ambitious man endures to receive the title of kingship. With the company of Banquo, whom the throne will heir to in the future, Macbeth is confronted by three witches who inform him that he will one day be king. Macbeth believes the witches prophecies, therefore deciding that he must rid of all who are of the utmost importance in terms of kingship. Once Macbeth murders various characters such as King Duncan, his two Chamberlains, Banquo, Lady Macbeth, her children, and Siward with the use of chicanery, he continues to dig himself into deeper water. Macbeth exemplifies a plot including a character with a massive amount of greed while during the same time, other Scottish Noblemen attempt to fulfill the prophecy, which is to overthrow Macbeth. Even though Shakespeare’s tragic hero Macbeth commits heinous deeds throughout the entire drama, he is unfairly influenced by several elements within the play. For instance, I blame not only Macbeth, but also the characters of Lady Macbeth, the witches, and the three apparitions for his tragic downfall. Because Macbeth chooses to take the lives of Banquo’s lineage, many literary critics and readers may disagree with the opinion that he is not solely responsible for the evil occurrences. Macbeth, being unable to realize the threats pointed towards him, paranoid, and believing that others distrust him to think irrationally, leads to the responsibility of other characters’ influences. In my opinion, Lady Macbeth, the three witches, and the three apparitions, all have a negative influence, leading him to murder Tishman 2 various innocent characters. Murder is factually an illegal and cruel crime, b... ... middle of paper ... ..., yet this shows the true gullibility of one man with such greed and desire to be of power and the pure influence of others who are deceiving. Wayne Booth theorizes, “Take a good man, a noble man, a man admired by all who know him- and destroy him, not only physically but emotionally, which will transform him into a conceivable mortal.” (http://www.enotes.com/macbeth/Macbeth) After reading Macbeth, it is clear that with the influence of Lady Macbeth, the three witches, and the three apparitions, Macbeth is unfairly pointed at with guilt, as he is pressured into murdering others. The next time that you sign a petition, I encourage you to consider the outside details such as factors that are of influence. Macbeth may have committed heinous deeds, although the true impact includes those who surround him and alter his chaste-like character.

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