Macbeth is a tragic play written by William Shakespeare in 1606. The tragedy is about a brave and ambitious Scottish general named Macbeth, who falls under the sway of the prophecies of the three witches and the manipulations of his wife, Lady Macbeth. These influences lead Macbeth to commit regicide and seize the throne of Scotland, resulting in his eventual downfall and death. Despite being swayed by external forces. This essay will explore to what extent is Macbeth bears responsibility for his own downfall. His ambition drives him to seek power and status, and he is willing to go to great lengths, including murder, to achieve his true desires. This is shown through various different techniques such as dramaturgy, metaphors. Witches, also …show more content…
She is the one who initially suggests that they should kill King Duncan in order to seize the throne, saying ‘You would be so much more than man’. She breaks the Jacobean stereotype of submissive wife and takes charge questions Macbeth’s masculinity causing his mind to become confused and twisted perhaps more driven to kill Duncan to become masculine. She manipulates Macbeth into committing the murder by questioning his manhood and calls him a ‘Like a poor cat ‘I ‘th adage?’ The simile compares Macbeth to a weak cat instead of a strong masculine warrior which sways him to agree to her plan. Lady Macbeth uses an extremely crude example promises shouldn’t be broken she claims she would’ve ‘while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done this’ which shows how she relating to warrior side by showing how promises are to be kept in battle further manipulating him. Lady Macbeth's ambition and manipulation lead to a downward spiral of violence and guilt for Macbeth. He becomes consumed by his own guilt and fear of being discovered. This eventually leads to his downfall, as he becomes paranoid, and he cannot ‘'sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep', which shows he cannot sleep and be at rest after he killed King Duncan. Macbeth losing his sanity is Shakespeare trying to write a cautionary tale to the audience due to …show more content…
Macbeth’s response to ghastly claims by his wife was ‘If we should fail?’ He doesn’t question the extremely unethical deed however questions the viability and security committing regicide rather than condemning the actions. In Act 2 scene 2, Macbeth is plotting to kill King Duncan. Macbeth’s mind is at conflict with itself because of the very magnitude of this crime and because he has no reason to kill Duncan except his own desires. Shakespeare ruined Macbeths sanity as warning to those who would think about regicide and to appeal to King James to increase