One of William Shakespeare's most famous pieces of literature, Macbeth, features the downfall of the tragic hero, Macbeth. His downfall is credited to the Witches, Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth himself, however it is commonly debated as to who has the highest responsibility for it. The Witches are mysterious creatures that thrive on mischief; they have the ability to disrupt the lives of humans, and Macbeth is a primary victim by using temptation and taking advantage of his ambition. Lady Macbeth shares similar characteristics with Macbeth, such as overwhelming ambition. However, she is very persuasive and she uses it to cajole Macbeth into the murder of King Duncan. Macbeth is a noble warrior who has an incredible amount of ambition; that, in
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While they do have the smallest responsibility of Macbeth's downfall, they are responsible for tempting Macbeth with an appealing prophecy that promises him to be King, which is the beginning of the end for him. Harold Bloom describes the role of the witches as ones who thrive on disrupting “human affairs”; in particular to Macbeth, they disrupt his “affairs” by presenting him a prophecy. Proving this, Bloom writes, “[The Witches’] prophesy galvanizes Macbeth's ambition, and their other oracular pronouncements encourage his slide into tyranny” (Bloom 24). Later on in the play, the Witches further inform Macbeth about the prophecy; he finds out that he will not be defeated by anyone born of a woman, or until the trees surrounding his castle get up and walk. At this point, Macbeth is fully convinced that he is nearly invincible when the Witches tell him, “Be bloody, bold, and resolute: laugh to scorn/ The pow’r of man; for none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth...Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care/ Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:/ Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until/ Great Birnan wood to high Dunsinane hill/ Shall come against him” (Shakespeare IV.i.80-95). The Witches do not warn Macbeth that both of these events happen and they leave him to determine how to handle himself with the information given. This greatly influences the responsibility of the Witches …show more content…
Obviously he is presented a prophecy and he is persuaded by his wife to murder King Duncan, but Macbeth truly holds the highest responsibility for his demise because he allows his ambition to debase all that he stands for; the noble man, who is looked upon as the most powerful warrior to roam the Earth, allows his own greed to turn him into a cold-blooded tyrant. Macbeth’s role in his own decadence is best described, “Once the witches’ promise him the crown, he can no longer silence the voice of his ambition, which leads him first to regicide and from thence to a number of unforgivable, brutal murders” (Bloom
While they do have the smallest responsibility of Macbeth's downfall, they are responsible for tempting Macbeth with an appealing prophecy that promises him to be King, which is the beginning of the end for him. Harold Bloom describes the role of the witches as ones who thrive on disrupting “human affairs”; in particular to Macbeth, they disrupt his “affairs” by presenting him a prophecy. Proving this, Bloom writes, “[The Witches’] prophesy galvanizes Macbeth's ambition, and their other oracular pronouncements encourage his slide into tyranny” (Bloom 24). Later on in the play, the Witches further inform Macbeth about the prophecy; he finds out that he will not be defeated by anyone born of a woman, or until the trees surrounding his castle get up and walk. At this point, Macbeth is fully convinced that he is nearly invincible when the Witches tell him, “Be bloody, bold, and resolute: laugh to scorn/ The pow’r of man; for none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth...Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care/ Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:/ Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until/ Great Birnan wood to high Dunsinane hill/ Shall come against him” (Shakespeare IV.i.80-95). The Witches do not warn Macbeth that both of these events happen and they leave him to determine how to handle himself with the information given. This greatly influences the responsibility of the Witches …show more content…
Obviously he is presented a prophecy and he is persuaded by his wife to murder King Duncan, but Macbeth truly holds the highest responsibility for his demise because he allows his ambition to debase all that he stands for; the noble man, who is looked upon as the most powerful warrior to roam the Earth, allows his own greed to turn him into a cold-blooded tyrant. Macbeth’s role in his own decadence is best described, “Once the witches’ promise him the crown, he can no longer silence the voice of his ambition, which leads him first to regicide and from thence to a number of unforgivable, brutal murders” (Bloom