The feeling toward Macbeth and reaction to the end of the play differ amongst readers. Although everyone perceives the horrifying tone that ends the play, the feeling of sympathy for Macbeth is also present. Sympathy might be expressed toward Macbeth because of the fact that something or someone else caused the beginning of his downfall. The witches and Lady Macbeth are to blame for this. Relating to Macbeth's character and understanding how he feels and acts is a crucial aspect in understanding the play fully. Shakespeare's method of letting the readers react and connect to Macbeth's character is one of the many concepts that makes Shakespeare such a great author, and makes Macbeth such a remarkable play.
Macbeth's complete self-destruction originated with his encounter with the witches. In the beginning of the play, he is a soldier with good intentions and no aspiration for harm. At this point, Macbeth has not yet been influenced by the witches and the ambition they provoked. As soon as he meets the witches his demise begins. Being truly interested in the witches' predictions, Macbeth quickly rises in power and begins to neglect his conscience. The witches seem to have total control over his mind and his behavior. They trigger Macbeth's destructive actions, which ultimately become his habit to kill. Macbeth's wrongdoing did not originate in his mind and soul, but rather resulted from him being a victim of circumstance and misfortune, and therefore, he deserves sympathy.
Lady Macbeth's aggressive and ambitious nature is another key influence on Macbeth's behavior. Lady Macbeth challenges her husband's manhood by taunting him and forcing him to kill Duncan. Since he fulfilled her order, he started losing his integrity and relying less on his conscience. It is easier to have sympathy for a person who is not entirely to blame for his actions. In Macbeth's case, his wife was at least partly