Macbeth's Death Essay

Analyzing Macbeth’s Death

“Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.” - Napoleon Bonaparte. It can be suggested that Macbeth experiences significant character development after murdering Duncan. However, the tragic death of Macbeth was a result of his own mind and actions. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the protagonist is given a prophecy by three witches, which is the cause of his tragic death due to the way he decided to interpret the prophecy. During Macbeth's journey of becoming king, it is evident that most judgments were not made with a clear mind. Thus, leading to his mental suffering while also causing his morals to be

Macbeth’s moral weakness can be disputed as one of the flaws that caused his death. Macbeth's unbalanced superego leads to not knowing what he wants, with having second thoughts about his actions. Macbeth had just killed Duncan, and returning with the dagger he says to Lady Macbeth, “ “Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore/Cawdor/Shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more.” ”(II.II.55-57). Macbeth later said, “I am afraid to think about what I have done.” (II.II.66). He continues to have mythological allusion about, not even the great Neptune’s ocean can wash the blood clean from his hands and erase what he did. Lady Macbeth eventually has to bring the dagger back to the murder site and the scene ends there. As it is shown in this scene, it can be

Macbeth's true self is seen in the last scene of the play, which is his lack of perseverance. In the final battle with Macbeth and Macduff, the scene opens with Macbeth contemplating about suicide, “Why should I play the Roman fool and die/On mine own sword? Whiles I see lives, the gashes/Do better upon them.” (V.VIII.1-3). He continues expressing his guilt for killing Macduff’s family, though he is not worried about the fight because of the woman-born prophecy. Macduff then shares he was born from a c-section not natural and M453627acbeth replies, “Accursèd be that tongue that tells me so, For it hath cowed my better part of man! And be these juggling fiends no more believed/That palter with us in a double sense,/That keep the word of promise to our ear/And break it to our hope. I’ll not fight with thee.” (V.VIII.21-26). The moment Macduff shares this new information, Macbeth instantly yields all courage and will not fight Macduff. This example of defeated purpose shows that Macbeth did all this killing to become king but is willing to end it all because he does not see the purpose of it anymore. It can also be argued that ever since Lady Macbeth killed herself, everything for Macbeth went downhill and can be viewed that Macbeth really did not see the purpose of the kingship title because no one is pushing for it anymore as Lady Macbeth did. Though Macbeth was not willing to surrender, it