Partial Responsibility In Macbeth's Downfall example essay topic

Macbeth English Units 1/2 Shakespeare essay: Macbeth Topic: "The instruments of darkness brought about Macbeth's downfall". Do you agree? William Shakespeare's Macbeth demonstrates the ultimate downfall of a tragic hero manipulated by evil. The forces of evil, namely witches, initiate Macbeth's downfall, seducing him with the concept of power, firing up his ambition to become king. However, despite their obvious involvement, Macbeth delves deeper into the darker side of his nature on his own, seeking evil and wading further into his imagined river of blood. His downfall was brought about by the instruments of darkness - they planted the idea of Macbeth's rising power in his head and their influence saw him fall from a noble man to a tyrant of a ruler but regardless of this it was his own conscious choice that ultimately led to his fall from grace.

The three witches who introduce the play immediately strike the audience as representatives of evil, instantly establishing Macbeth as their 'victim', one whom they have chosen to involve in their plans. In the first act, Macbeth is shown to be a noble, cousin to the king, a valiant and worthy man: "Brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name", just as the witches are shown to be malicious, evil creatures, recounting their cruel dealings. In his meeting them, the suggestion of his royalty is quickly seeded - their words provoke him and set in motion his demise. In the forth act, he is shown to have walked even further down the path of corruption to the point that he no longer shows the qualities of a good man in his seeking of the witches themselves - seeking the instruments of darkness, and thus embracing evil. Their original meeting with him sparked his ambition, and it is of his own accord and conscious choice that he seeks them out - it is no influence of theirs that leads him to meet with them a second time. Consequently, without the interference of the witches, Macbeth would not have begun his unforgivable massacre but his own corrupted nature takes him further than the initial prompting of the witches.

In originally finding Macbeth and prophesising his ascension to power, the witches take partial responsibility in Macbeth's downfall as they began the entire process of Macbeth's rise and fall. After the initial suggestion of Macbeth's royalty, however, comes the encouragement of Lady Macbeth. Her involvement leads Macbeth to the murder of Duncan, his cousin and king, his first steps into his ultimate downfall. The thought was planted by the witches, but Lady Macbeth was the outside influence which prompted Macbeth into his first of many murders. Her interference is largely responsible for Macbeth's moral ruin and fall from grace in this way - it is highly likely that he would not have murdered Duncan without her encouragement.

However, her influence with Macbeth fades as the play progresses and her power as a main character reduces and eventually disappears with her suicide. Lady Macbeth's persuasion brought about Macbeth's first murder and she continues to aid him in his planning and execution of his plots, but she holds less and less sway over him and it is shown that she no longer affects his plans significantly. While she was a key instrument in Macbeth's downfall originally, her importance in his rise to power lessens and it is evident that Macbeth moves on his own, without her prompting. Her responsibility for Macbeth's downfall is in her encouragement and pressure, but Macbeth moves on without her, taking much more responsibility in his ultimate downfall. Despite the influence of Lady Macbeth and the forces of evil, Macbeth's own flaws brought about his ultimate downfall. Macbeth's tragic flaw is his ambition; his desire to succeed the throne and reign over Scotland plays the largest part of his fall from grace.

His ambition prompts his conscious choice to begin slaughtering those in his way, and to continue killing in order to protect his blood-covered throne. By the end of the first act, the corruption of Macbeth's noble character is evident as he plots his path to becoming king. The words of the witches open up a world of dark possibility, sparking his ambition, and the persuasion of Lady Macbeth leads him to murder, the first steps in fulfilling his ambition. The continuation of murder and cold-blooded killing is entirely Macbeth's own choice, shown particularly in his killing of the family and servants of Macduff when he cannot reach Macduff himself.

I am in bloodStepp'd so far, that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er. - Macbeth is acutely aware of his sinking into the ways of evil, yet choses to go on - he forgoes the path back to being a good and noble man so that he may continue to fulfil his ambition and goal. Through out the play, Macbeth's various soliloquies reveal his thoughts - he often doubts his actions and worries about his fate but in act he completely sidesteps his doubt by telling himself that he will act spontaneously, on impulse alone so that he may not ponder his actions and moralistic degradation - he destroys his chances of redemption and goes on, mindlessly continuing his murders as so to achieve his goal. He is perfectly aware of his wrongs and ignores them, refusing to think about them so he may kill without significantly disturbing his conscience. Macbeth considers his options, based on the words of the witches and his actions, prompted by Lady Macbeth, and chooses to kill his way to the throne, sealing his fate and taking responsibility for his own downfall.

Overall, regardless of the involvement of the witches and other outside influences, Macbeth's downfall was largely due to his own character. The thought of the gaining the throne was planted by the witches and the train of murders initiated by Lady Macbeth, but the conscious choice of continuation down the path of murder was entirely because of Macbeth's tragic flaw - his ambition. The responsibility of Macbeth's downfall lies most heavily upon himself; he understands the consequences of such actions and yet chooses to commit such crimes: Might be the be-all and the end-all here, But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases, We still have judgement here..