In William Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, many characters struggle with the choices they are forced to make, such as the loyalty of the male characters to Scotland, some of whom are described as men who have "... left [their] wife and child" (IV.iii.26). The strong and valiant warrior, and title character, Macbeth, however, that takes ownership for his own downfall. By remaining irresolute in his decisions, placing his ambitions before all else and acting against the ethical principles of Elizabethan society, the future King of Scots creates a binding situation entirely of his own design. In spite of the other characters' wills and actions, Macbeth is ultimately responsible for his own downfall. To begin, Macbeth is a mentally infirm, untrusting man, which holds him responsible …show more content…
In particular, Macbeth is dependent on his wife for moral support. For instance, when Macbeth questions Lady Macbeth what might happen "if [they] should fail" (I.vii.59) with the plan to murder King Duncan, Macbeth does not believe in himself, however, he has extreme trust in Lady Macbeth even under compulsion. He eventually forces himself into the murder of King Duncan. Macbeth questioning Lady Macbeth is crucial because of how it shows his cowardice off of the battlefield; not being able to resist Lady Macbeth's manipulations denotes a sharp reversal of gender roles for the time period and as a result, suggests his lack of strength and stability within the Scottish court. Consequentially, Macbeth is just as easily manipulated by witches. After Macbeth hears that he has been proclaimed the thane of Cawdor, he immediately reconsiders the truth held by the witches' prophecies and instantly assumes that "the greatest is behind" (I.iii.117). Knowing that there is now a certainty of him becoming King, the aforementioned statement demonstrates that Macbeth is a believer in fate and of supernatural events, and as such is easily persuaded by the women in