Is Macbeth Responsible for His Own Downfall?
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16/3/06
English Essay
Is Macbeth responsible for his own downfall?
Macbeth is not totally responsible for his downfall. He had half the hand in his own demise. The following reasons and people are responsible for how he fell from the top to the very bottom:
Lady Macbeth played a very strong part in the first half of the play where she contributed much to the demise of the leading character: Macbeth. She is described as malevolent, conniving, sneaky, clever and evil. Shakespeare has manipulated the audience to believe whatever he wants them to believe in this play, and the audience does, and works very well with Lady Macbeth. The audience hates her for being a “dangerous woman”, which can be a woman who is smart, brave, and takes control and has power over her husband. This is something that many men feared at the time. The audience also hates her for the fact that she wants her king to be killed by her own husband, and not only that but that she pressures, bullies and encourages her husband to commit the murder. But was she responsible for her own husbands’ downfall, let alone her own.
Lady Macbeth was also partially responsible for Macbeths’ downfall because she knew his weaknesses and took advantage of them. Macbeth had a subconscious ambition to rule. She knew this, and pressured and bullied him into doing what she wanted him to do. We can never be sure if she was doing this that she wanted him to do this for them (as passionate lovers or as well as husband and wife) or this was for her own overwhelming ambition. She makes many comments that are meant to encourage Macbeth to commit treachery and to discourage doubts and fears that he may have.
“We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking place, and we’ll not fail” (Act 1, Scene 7). This is of course is to try and urge Macbeth on. Though Lady Macbeth attempts to anger him and she tried to provoke Macbeth so that he will want to kill Duncan to prove his wife wrong. Lady Macbeth also tries to...
English Essay
Is Macbeth responsible for his own downfall?
Macbeth is not totally responsible for his downfall. He had half the hand in his own demise. The following reasons and people are responsible for how he fell from the top to the very bottom:
Lady Macbeth played a very strong part in the first half of the play where she contributed much to the demise of the leading character: Macbeth. She is described as malevolent, conniving, sneaky, clever and evil. Shakespeare has manipulated the audience to believe whatever he wants them to believe in this play, and the audience does, and works very well with Lady Macbeth. The audience hates her for being a “dangerous woman”, which can be a woman who is smart, brave, and takes control and has power over her husband. This is something that many men feared at the time. The audience also hates her for the fact that she wants her king to be killed by her own husband, and not only that but that she pressures, bullies and encourages her husband to commit the murder. But was she responsible for her own husbands’ downfall, let alone her own.
Lady Macbeth was also partially responsible for Macbeths’ downfall because she knew his weaknesses and took advantage of them. Macbeth had a subconscious ambition to rule. She knew this, and pressured and bullied him into doing what she wanted him to do. We can never be sure if she was doing this that she wanted him to do this for them (as passionate lovers or as well as husband and wife) or this was for her own overwhelming ambition. She makes many comments that are meant to encourage Macbeth to commit treachery and to discourage doubts and fears that he may have.
“We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking place, and we’ll not fail” (Act 1, Scene 7). This is of course is to try and urge Macbeth on. Though Lady Macbeth attempts to anger him and she tried to provoke Macbeth so that he will want to kill Duncan to prove his wife wrong. Lady Macbeth also tries to...