Macbeth's Portrayal Of Sinful Human Nature

How can a man of trust and honor morally decline to the point of becoming a traitor and heartless murderer? The story of Macbeth clearly illustrates Shakespeare’s effective portrayal of sinful human nature. The tragic eroding of Macbeth’s character can be blamed on three primary factors: the prophecies of the three witches, the evil influence of his wife Lady Macbeth, and his continual determination to keep the throne at all costs. The play begins with the appearance of the three witches; one of the major factors for the destruction of Macbeth. If it had not been for the witches’ prophesies, Macbeth might not have turned into the evil, power-lusting king he ended up to be. Because of these prophesies Macbeth begins to entertain the thought

His ability to kill the king however, would have been limited had it not been for his wife. Macbeth continued to erode morally by murdering whoever would threaten him, even his closest friends. As a result of this sinful nature, Macbeth did not escape punishment. He lost one of the most important things; the peace of mind, especially when he became haunted by Banquo’s ghost. In the end, all those who trusted, honored, and praised him deserted him and finished by killing him after joining the camp of his enemies. Finally, Macbeth’s surrender to his uncontrolled passion for power led to his own tragic death and to his total transformation from being one of moral character to a heartless murderer. Although Macbeth’s decline evokes pity and compassion from the reader which makes him a tragic hero, passion without reason cannot be tolerated , because every man has a specific gift: the freedom of choice. Indeed, the prophecies of the three witches, Lady Macbeth’s wicked inspiration and encouragement, and Macbeth’s lustful passion to keep the throne altogether provided the perfect elements for the development and the end of the Shakespearean tragic play,