The Downfall of Macbeth

The tragic downfall of Macbeth was not determined by one single cause. It was rather caused by a combination of three dark forces: supernatural, external, and internal. Supernatural forces are represented by the three witches and dark powers behind them. Lady Macbeth is an outer force that pushes Macbeth towards the bloody deeds. Macbeth's own ambition acts as deciding power in brining him to his downfall.

The very beginning of the play indicates that dark supernatural forces will be involved. Three weird sisters are preparing a surprise for Macbeth, a surprise that will eventually cost him his life and the salvation of his soul. Witches' predictions play very important role in leading Macbeth to the evil deeds. Witches are the first to unleash Macbeth's "black and deep desires" by promising him the Crown in the near future. They trick Macbeth making him to believe that he was fated to be king by promising him the title of thane of Cawdor and fulfilling this promise. After this almost impossible prediction becomes true Macbeth decides that he should become king as well. His royal dreams and ambition begin to take over his good side. He is convinced that "Two truths were told/As happy prologues to the

. . .

View the whole essay, without interruption

Lady Macbeth:

O, never

Shall sun that morrow see!”

If Macbeth were an innocent lamb before witches and Lady Macbeth have turned him to a ruthless criminal, he wouldn't understand what Lady Macbeth was talking about. However, Macbeth was not a weak-willed puppet that others could easily control.

After the witches awaken Macbeth's desires of becoming king, his wife begins to push Macbeth towards the real act of murdering Duncan. " Not only do they make Macbeth think about murdering Duncan; they also bring him to the decision to kill Banquo and his son by saying that Banquo's children will be kings. Macbeth needs this push from the external forces to suppress his conscience and begin committing bloody crimes. Her thoughts immediately jump to murder, even though murder was not even mentioned anywhere in the letter. She gives Macbeth an example of how resolute and cruel he should be telling him that she--woman who is supposed to be kind and compassionate--would be able to kill her own child:

“I would, while it [baby] 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. He still has doubts, but he wants to believe that he is fated to be king. Lady Macbeth uses all the methods she can to convince her husband to murder Duncan. " These predictions give Macbeth confidence to murder more victims, so that he has got absolutely no hope left for retaining any virtues and opportunity of remedy. Another evidence to support the idea that Macbeth wanted to murder Duncan is the reaction of Lady Macbeth after she reads Macbeth's letter.

Approximate Word count = 1270
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Simply subscribe to view this paper, and 100,000 others.