Macbeth Causes His Own Downfall

In the story, Macbeth is ultimately responsible for the actions that lead to his fate .It could be argued that Macbeth is not totally to blame for his own destruction, allowing himself to be influenced by others. First, Macbeth ignores the voice of his own mind. He knows what he is doing is wrong even before he murders Duncan, but he allows Lady Macbeth and greed to cloud his judgment. Secondly, Macbeth willingly listens to the witches with no proff to believe if what they were saying was true. Macbeth could have dismissed the prophecies like Banquo did but instead he chose to believe in those miss-interpreted predictions, which ultimately lead to his own downfall.

Although the witches’ predictions are somewhat responsible for influencing Macbeth’s thoughts, no one tells Macbeth to kill Duncan. Macbeth is responsible for putting power into the hands of Lady Macbeth and letting her influence him. Finally, Macbeth acknowledges his guilt of wrong doing and is thereby responsible for his actions.. Although the witches’ predictions initiate Macbeth’s desire to become king, . When the second prophecy becomes a reality, Macbeth immediately thinks of murdering Duncan. “I am of Cawdor: If good, why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose image doth unfix my hair” (I, iii, 143-145). For the first time in the story, we see a dark side to the brave and courageous Macbeth.

Macbeth sees himself kill his ruler. Macbeth is horrified by the idea but his thoughts of going after his destiny still remain. Another example of Macbeth’s early thoughts of treachery occurs when Duncan formally names his son Malcom as his successor. “Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires: / The eye wink at the hand! yet let that be, /” (I, iv, 57-59). Macbeth is vexed at Duncan’s choice of successor and wishes to overleap the situation with murder. “This night’s great business into my dispatch; / Which shall to all our nights and days to come / Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom” (I, v, 75-77). Macbeth could have told his Lady to stop her plans. Instead, he lets himself be influenced. Macbeth puts power into the hands of Lady Macbeth by letting her arrange Duncan’s murder. “Will it not be received, / When we have mark’d with blood those sleepy two / Of his own chamber, and used their very daggers, / That they have done’t?” (I, vii, 82-85). Macbeth agrees with the plan, determined to win the throne. If Macbeth truly did not want to commit evil, he could have refused his Lady’s arrangements. Instead, Macbeth accepts the plans and goes further by asking Lady Macbeth to “mock the time with fairest show” (I, vii, 91). Although sometimes Macbeth wants the murder of Duncan, other times his thoughts show the contrary. Macbeth recognizes the thoughts of killing Ducan are immoral. Macbeth’s is conscious that is thoughts are evil, yet he does nothing to correct the situation. “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, / Shakes so my single state of man that function / Is smother’d in surmise; and nothing is / But what is not” (I, iii, 149-152).

Macbeth shows that he has a conscience and that he can differentiate good from evil. In privacy, Macbeth re-thinks his plans to kill Duncan. Macbeth, reveals that he knows what he is about to do is immoral, and that justice will be repay him with evil. “We still have judgment here; that we but teach Bloody instructions, which being taught return To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice Commends the ingredients of our poison’d chalice To our own lips. He’s here in double trust: First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, Strong both against the deed: then, as his host, Who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angel, trumpet-tongued, against The deep damnation of his taking off;” (I, vii, 8-20). Macbeth lists several reasons for going against the plan to kill Duncan. Therefore, Macbeth has time to think over his intentions and to take direct action. Macbeth is fully aware of the consequences of his actions and is thereby liable to be blamed for his fate. Spurred on by is own ambition Macbeth is responsible for his destructive fate. tThrough his thoughts, actions, and decisions Macbeth demonstrates his overwhelming guilt. Lastly, Macbeth acknowledges his guilt in several places in the story. Macbeth is aware that his thoughts are corrupt and he knows that justice will somehow punish him. However, even with all his power, Macbeth makes no attempt to reverse the situation and is thereby responsible for his tragic fate.

Macbeth then goes on to murder banquo, The fact that he murdered Banquo without any influence at all shows Macbeth’s true darkness inside him and what he was willing to do in order to be crowned king. Macbeth is eager to become king and lets his greed overtake his concious His goal to become king has taken control of his mind and he will stop for nothing. Macbeth is so stuck on the prophecie he feels that he is industructable.

There are some people who believe that we are not supposed to feel sympathy for Macbeth, that our eyes are drawn to him simply because he is an evil man. I disagree. I feel a little amount of sympathy for him and I’m fascinated by the complicated maze his mind twists itself into over the course of the play.
In conclusion, I stronggly believe macbeth brought his own downfall . He had the power to stop himself at duncans murder, the struggle for power took him in till he was no more.