What Caused Macbeth's Downfall

Macbeth went from being a respected warrior to a murderous, tyrannical king. What dreadful events could have possibly occurred to have him fall so horribly from his honorable position? Throughout the play, Shakespeare displays many issues that occur due to events that Macbeth cannot control and how the former great warrior responds to these problems; however, Macbeth’s responses usually only make his situation worse than it was before. The main causes of Macbeth’s downfall have to do with uncontrollable forces, errors in his judgment, and tragic flaws in his character. Shakespeare also uses Macbeth as an example to display when one has too much confidence in themselves or others, one usually ends up betrayed or hurt. First, Macbeth experienced

For example, the witches’ first prophecy, which they shared with Macbeth, caused him to wonder about how he would become Thane of Cawdor and, eventually, king of Denmark. After being told that he had become Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth began to think of a “horrid image [that unfixed his] hair” (I.iii.21). This image was the beginning of Macbeth’s plan to murder the king so that he could gain the crown for himself, and he began to be influenced by this thought for the next few scenes. Also, the vision of the floating dagger that appeared to Macbeth convinced him to kill King Duncan, even though he had been doubting the decision beforehand. When the dagger appeared to Macbeth, its handle was facing him, and Macbeth stated that the dagger “marshall’st [him] the way that [he] was going” (II.ii.45). Macbeth believed that the dagger had its handle facing towards him because it was his destiny to murder

For example, Macbeth was quick to trust the witches and believed their prophecy. This belief in the prophecies from the witches led Macbeth to make misguided interpretations about these prophecies, which eventually led to his poor decisions that caused his downfall. Immediately after the witches left Macbeth and Banquo, Macbeth said to Banquo that “[his] children shall be kings” (I.iii.17). Macbeth spoke to Banquo like the witches’ prophecy was going to come true, not that there was just a possibility that the prophecy would happen, ultimately showing Macbeth’s belief was solid in these prophecies. This belief also led to Macbeth forming the plan to murder King Duncan. Also, Macbeth believed that the vision of the floating dagger that appeared to him meant that he was destined to kill the king of Denmark. Macbeth stated that the dagger [marshall’st him] the way that [he] was going” (II.ii.47). This statement was a display of how Macbeth easily trusted the supernatural and when Macbeth was doubting the choice to kill King Duncan, the dagger convinced him that his purpose was to murder the king. Macbeth also believed that he was powerful enough to defeat all his enemies because of his trust in the apparitions’ prophecy about how he would be defeated. He wondered “what need [he] fear of [Macduff]” and other people because of the prophecy that stated that no man born from a