Who Is Responsible For Lady Macbeth's Downfall

The most influential writer in all of English literature, William Shakespeare, wrote ‘Macbeth’, his shortest and most bloody tragedy, in 1606. It tells the tale of a brave and respected man who allows power to corrupt his mind and set him on the path of self-destruction. Whilst he is initially constructed as a good man he becomes consumed with his own and his wife’s ambition; manipulated by Lady Macbeth and spurred into action by the witches prophecies. His flaws are ultimately the cause of his downfall, especially when contrasted with Banquo, a character who resists all the same inducements that contribute to the labelling of the once good Macbeth, as the play’s self-destructive tragic hero.

To a great extent the witches’ prophecies influenced

Unlike the stereotyped 11th century noble woman, Lady Macbeth in many ways, challenged the assumed gender roles of the time as the dominant partner within her relationship with Macbeth. Her manipulation of Macbeth is most evident within Act I, scene V; “Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it”, where her greed and blind ambition burdens Macbeth with the task of murdering King Duncan which contributed greatly to Macbeth no longer being a good man. Through casting doubt about his manliness, she effectively spurred Macbeth to commit the ultimate act of regicide, whereby as soon as he falls to this temptation, he commits the ultimate act of sin and can no longer be forgiven, made evident in (1.7.49), When you durst do it,” she says, “then you were a man” .Her attitude towards the actions that took place from her suggestion are dismissive and emotionally naïve initially, “A little water clears us of this deed” (Act II, scene II) although her attempt to control Macbeth into his kingship proves destructive for both, losing her power over Macbeth, challenging the social norms for a woman during medieval Scotland. Her untimely downfall was consequently a result of blind ambition along with the influence from the Witches’ prophecies. By casting aspersions on Macbeth’s manhood, she was able to successfully manipulate his mind which ultimately leads to him taking the role of a tragic