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The Bears Responsible For The Tragedy Of Macbeth Essay

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Who Bears Responsibility for the Tragedy of Macbeth? The one behind the knife is not always the one to blame. In the play, Macbeth, by Shakespeare a nobleman and his wife kill the king after being prophesied that he will be in power by three witches. The witches bear responsibility for the tragedy of Macbeth due to their prophecies and apparitions that lead Macbeth to murder King Duncan, Banquo and Macduff’s family in an attempt to gain more power.

The Witches' prophecies fuel Macbeth’s ambition which leads him to get rid of the current king, Duncan, as he is in his way of gaining power. Towards the beginning of the play, Macbeth goes to visit three witches and learns of his. They greet Macbeth with several titles and continue to …show more content…

While it is true that his own actions contribute to his downfall, it is the Witches and their prophecies that are really at fault. If they hadn’t told Macbeth the prophecies of his future, he would never have had the information needed to make his rash decisions. In a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth, he tells her of his encounter with the Witches. Act 1 scene 5 states, “This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest/ partner of greatness, that thou might’st not lose the/ dues of rejoicing, by being ignorant of what greatness/ is promised thee” (1.5 10-13). In the letter, Macbeth expresses that he believes the prophecies. Following this, he plans and goes through with a plan to kill Duncan in the hope of ensuring his fate. Irony can be seen in this quote through the way that his knowledge of the prophecies only leads him and his wife to their demise. Furthermore, the Witches are portrayed as manipulative and malevolent characters who find delight in causing chaos. In act 1 scene 3 Banquo and Macbeth discuss what the Witches had said about their future. Banqou expresses to Macbeth, “The instruments of darkness tell us truths/ Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s/ In deepest consequence” (1.3 124-126). This points out that the Witches are adept at using indirectness and half-truths to deceive Macbeth. There prophecies, which can be open to interpretation, lead him into making fatal assumptions. Showing irony again, even Banqo acknowledges the Witches' use of honest trifles, and their ultimate goal of betraying and leading them to deal with the consequences. Thus, while Macbeth played a role in his own demise, the witches are accountable for the tragedies that took

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He tries everything he can to rid himself of the witches' forecasts. He dispatches assassins to kill Banquo and his son as soon as he recalls the prophecy that Banquo will be greater than him. When the three witches reveal their final prophecies, he feels safe. Macbeth's murder of the king exemplifies his attempt to

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As he ponders on the fortunes of the Weird Sisters and their accuracy, he wonders if Macbeth compromised them: “Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all,/As the weird women promised, and I fear/ Thou play’dst most foully for’t” (3.1.1-3). However, as he starts to gather his thoughts, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, as well as others enter, interrupting him. Even though he suspects foul play in this situation and has numerous opportunities to speak up, he decides not to tell anyone, making him in some sense responsible for the tragedies of Macbeth’s reign of terror. Banquo later pays for his mistake with his life, when Macbeth kills

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In the first meeting with the witches; where Macbeth is prophesied to become the Thane of Cawdor and finally king. Banquo, whom had also been prophesized to become the father of many kings, comes to a realisation that “the instruments of darkness tell us truths; win us with honest trifles, to betray in deepest consequence”. By saying this, Banquo believes that the witches will earn Banquo and Macbeth’s trust by telling them truth about little things, but if the witches decide to betray the two men, it may leave a devastating effect. Nevertheless, in contrast to Banquo’s skepticism regarding the witches, Macbeth desires to know more, “stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more”, and the idea of becoming king now occurs to him as a possibility. This suggests that Macbeth already has a deep desire for power and status; although, at this point, Macbeth is “too full o’th’milk of human kindness”, to commit himself to this immoral act of murdering the innocent

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But to be safely thus.¨ (III.i.50-51). In Macbeth's soliloquy he knows Banquo knows the prophecies the witches had given Macbeth. Macbeth feels like Banquo knows the king was murdered. Another reason he takes matters into his own hands is because Banquo was given the prophecy that his sons would be king. At the end of Macbeth's soliloquy the reader sees that Macbeth already has a plan to insure

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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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In fact, Macbeth becomes fascinated by them, "would they had stayed." Banquo serves as his conscience, perhaps representing the period audience who would have also thought the witches to be evil and unnatural, and warns him of the dangers of trusting such supernatural messengers; a warning that goes unheeded. After hearing the prophecy, Macbeth already thinks about, "murder," and becomes preoccupied with thoughts of becoming king showing the powerful hold they have over him with only one meeting, scaring the audience who would have believed in Witches. Macbeth believes the Witches as there first prophecy came true and ignores the fact that they’re evil beings whereas Banquo recognizes them for what they are. He even informs his most beloved, Lady Macbeth, who also shares his ambition.

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Conversations from the witches that involved them mentioning “Killing swine” characterized these witches as exactly what all witches were thought to be, which was evil. Shakespeare wants the reader to draw the connection that the prophecy that Macbeth became a servant to and obeyed was created with the intention to manipulate Macbeth and had Macbeth fought against this and did not feel the need to chase this power like Banquo did

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In deepest consequence.” Banquo does not get his hopes up as he thinks the witches are deceiving them, but his words do not discourage Macbeth, whose blind trust in the witches will only lead him to a path of

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There are many characters in the play “Macbeth” who attempt to deceive people for many different reasons. One of, if not the most misleading character in the whole play is Macbeth. He uses his lies to manipulate people and make it easier for him to become king. These lies had many effects on the plot of the story, including making it easier to kill Banquo, getting away with the murder of Duncan, and keeping his desires tucked away from the rest of Scotland. Macbeth lying was one of the main reasons that Banquo was murdered.

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When the Witches' prophecy states Banquoes son will become king one day, Macbeth quickly acts and remarks, "I am settled, and bend up / Each corporal agent to this terrible feat" (3.1.92-93). Macbeth decides to have Banquo and his son Fleance killed, despite his initial reluctance to harm his friend. Macbeth's determination remains evident in his language as he declares his resolve to carry out the "terrible feat," and in his interactions with the murderers he hires. Clearly, Macbeth's determination to maintain his hold on power overrides his moral qualms and personal relationships. Macbeth's actions as a King seem to only promote and help himself which becomes known when he states, "I'll make assurance double sure, / And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live; / That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies, / And sleep in spite of thunder" (3.4.90-93).

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He reveals that he is not strong minded and is easily influenced by those around him. It is through Banquo that one can actually identify Macbeth with these traits. If it were not for Banquo’s calm and responsible reaction to the foretelling, it would be difficult to hold Macbeth on a basis on the appropriate way to respond to the situation. Banquo is not after sole success, and still considers himself successful even with his sons being heirs to the kingdom. With this genuine appreciation, we are able to view Macbeth as a greedy and irrational character.

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Who is responsible for Macbeth’s downfall, the witches, or Macbeth? Who is responsible for the scorpions in Macbeth’s mind, the savage killing of several people in cold blood, the conception near the end of the play that Macbeth grasps of nihilism, and Macbeth getting so shielded in the prophecies that he can barely see straight? Is it Macbeth... or the witches? The play by William Shakespeare, Macbeth, has many motifs and famous quotes. However, it raises a lot of questions.

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He commits the murders of Duncan and Banquo, although he was goaded and provoked by his wife, and becomes foolhardy and over confident when misinterpreting the Witches’ prophecy. He is driven into madness and hallucinations by the terrible deeds he has done, seeing visions of ghosts, and blames himself (partially correctly) for the suicide of his wife. He is almost relieved when the army arrives at his gates, thinking that he is still unstoppable through all his tragedy. However, his main fault was to listen to the voices telling him to murder, mainly his wife, and carry through with the acts even when his own mind told him not to. Therefore Macbeth, too, is a guilty party in the tragedies that take place in

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Macbeth is firstly at fault due to his own hubris. From the start of the play we hear praise for Macbeth from the captain when he addresses Duncan, “For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name—Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,Which smoked with bloody execution,Like valor’s minion carved out his passage” (1.2.16-19), this sort of praise was likely commonplace after the battle, and likely was heard by macbeth himself, and being the proud man he was may have led him to feel deserving of greater power and authority. Another way his hubris is to blame is for being convinced by his wife's scorning oh his manhood should he not kill duncan “When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what

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Unlike Macbeth, Banquo, from the beginning of this encounter, continues to doubt the witches, “I’th’name of truth are ye fantastical, or that indeed which outwardly ye show?” (1.3.51-52) Banquo didn’t believe what the witches were saying, he questions their intentions and accuses them of raising Macbeth’s hope. Throughout this whole encounter, Banquo continues to protect Macbeth while staying loyal. He never once acted on his prophecies, he simply disregarded what the witches were saying and remained the noble man he is. Even to his death, Banquo has not once acted without honour and

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