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WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR KING DUNCANS DEATH

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WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR KING DUNCANS DEATH
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR KING DUNCANS DEATH?
In the debate for responsibility for King Duncan’s death it would be typical to consider his murderer Macbeth. A number of factors led him to kill King Duncan. It is evident that he wasn’t entirely responsible. Lady Macbeth and the witches are also to blame as they were partly involved in the regicide. The play Macbeth was written in 1606 by Shakespeare. The play opens with the 3 witches who plan a meeting with Macbeth and Banquo who offer them 3 predictions: that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor as well as king of Scotland .They also told Banquo that his decedents will become kings. Banquo laughed at the prophesies where as Macbeth was excited, especially soon after his meeting with the witches he became thane of Cawdor .He wrote to his wife lady Macbeth about his success. A messenger informed Lady Macbeth that king Duncan is on his way to her castle and she invokes evil spirits to help her slay him. Macbeth is talked into killing Duncan by his wife and stabs him to death. Macbeth is then crowned king. Now that Macbeth is king he knows the second prediction from the witches has come true, but he starts to fear the third prediction (that Banquo's descendants will also be kings). Macbeth therefore decides to kill Banquo and his son, but the plan goes wrong - Banquo is killed but his son escapes. He starts to become ruthless and kills the family of Macduff, an important lord. Macbeth still thinks he is safe but one by one the witches' prophecies come true, Lady Macbeth cannot stop thinking about Duncan, she becomes deranged and dies. A large army marches on Macbeth's castle and Macbeth is killed by Macduff. It is evident that Macbeth did not go about this crime on his own accord –there is an element of corruption from the witches and his wife. However he must have had an existence of desire for the throne to follow the plan through. Initially the witches informed him that he ‘shalt be king hereafter’. Macbeth then

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