Who Was Responsible For Macbeth's Downfall

The King of Death

Life is supposed to be a roller coaster, not a sinking ship; and Macbeth had some ups and downs, but he forgot his lifeboat. The play “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare is about a man that kills to become as powerful as he possibly can. However he is influenced in many different ways. The Three Witches tell him in the beginning of the play that he will become king, they also tell him towards the end some key factors in his downfall. His wife Lady Macbeth urges him to do terrible things to others to further grow himself. And Macbeth himself, the decider of his own future and his ultimate demise. This essay will explore how these three characters influence our protagonist, and who is ultimately responsible for the downfall of

But his eventual downfall was another thing that Macbeth was paranoid and afraid of, and it as well was mentioned to him by The Three Witches.

“Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough” (4.1.71).

“Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth” (4.1.79-81).

“Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are. Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him” (4.1.90-94).

The Three Witches give him Macbeth these conditions where only if a set number of things happen should he be worried. Macbeth begins to almost base his life around this and sees himself as immortal until his mental criteria of when to be afraid begin to fall into place. However without having listened or met up with the witches Macbeth would not have seen himself as the almighty being, only to be toppled when seemingly impossible thing take place. But he decided to act on everything the witches said and form his life around it. He continued to make the conscious decisions to be the man he wanted to be, and that wasn't the fault of The Three Witches; they just predicted the future, they didn't create

When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place Did then adhere, and yet you would make both: They have made themselves, and that their fitness now Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this” (1.7.48-59)

These insults and claims puts Macbeth over the edge, and he finally decides to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth does all of this manipulation because of her hunger for power, and the result of her becoming queen if her husband is to become king. Though she played with the mind of her husband, and drove him to his own fate, she did not hold a dagger to Macbeth’s throat and force him to make the decisions he did.

His Own