The Bears Responsible For The Tragedy Of Macbeth Essay

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

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