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Examples Of Culpability In Macbeth

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Culpability is the responsibility for a fault or blame. The idea of culpability is explored in the tragedy Macbeth, by William Shakespeare. Outside forces are responsible for the tragedy. Outside forces are proven to be culpable when Lady Macbeth forces Macbeth to kill King Duncan, when the witches give the prophecy that Banquo’s sons will be kings, and when the witches use apparitions to give Macbeth confidence. Lady Macbeth is culpable for the tragic events because she attacks Macbeth’s masculinity to coerce him to kill King Duncan. After receiving the witches’ prophecies, Macbeth states, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may/crown me/ Without my stir” (1.4.157-159). Macbeth decides that he will allow fate to crown him king. Therefore, he will not try to obtain the crown through his own actions. Subsequently, Lady Macbeth states, Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would…” (1.7. 45-48)? Lady Macbeth attacks his manliness by calling Macbeth a coward for not fighting for the crown. She uses this tactic to force him to kill his cousin, King Duncan. Macbeth decides to obtain the crown through killing King Duncan because of Lady Macbeth’s …show more content…

Macbeth states, “They hailed him father to a line of kings,/ Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown/ And a barren scepter in my grip...”(3.1.65-67). Macbeth understands that he will have no heir to his throne. The witches’ prophecy for Banquo’s descendants generates feelings of jealousy in Macbeth. Macbeth believes that he has a useless crown and empty scepter because of the witches’ prediction. The prediction also leads to his notion that he killed King Duncan for Banquo’s sons. As a result, the witches’ prophecy compels Macbeth to hire murderers to kill Banquo and

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