Reasons For Macbeth's Downfall

Macbeth who is a mighty figure in Scotland held a high and prestigious stature and was looked upon by many for his noble qualities which shaped his character. He was a courageous man who suffered from his tragic flaw of ambition. He was power driven and wanted to gain everything possible in his life disregarding all fatal outcomes. As a result, he ultimately faced his inevitable downfall and three factors which are to blame for his downfall are the witches who gave misleading prophecies, Lady Macbeth’s influence and control, and Macbeth’s destructive desire of becoming the King of Scotland.
To illustrate Macbeth’s downfall, the first factor which contributed to Macbeth being a tragic hero was the misleading words said from the witches’ prophecies. Although the witches did not exactly lie to Macbeth, their words held double meanings which caused Macbeth to misinterpret their sayings. For instance, the first moment when Macbeth encountered the witches, the third witch said to Macbeth, “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (1.3.51). Basically, the witches have triggered Macbeth’s thought process and Macbeth has started to wonder how it would feel like to become King. In other words, this is the spark which ignited Macbeth’s ambition to become King. Furthermore, as Macbeth’s …show more content…
Prior to meeting any supernatural forces, Macbeth is known as being a sensitive man who is noble and he has garnered a reputation for being one of the best in battle. Conversely, after the meeting with the witches, he sends a letter to his wife detailing the prophecy as told by the witches. This is where Lady Macbeth’s influential character comes on full display as when Macbeth returns home, she convinces him to murder the current King of Scotland, who is Duncan so that Macbeth will be able to reign all over Scotland. To add, this is further supported by when Lady Macbeth