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Essay / Factors That Cause Macbeth's Downfall
Table of ContentsMacbeth Essay SummaryIntroductionThe Role of Lady MacbethThe Influence of WitchesWitches' SymbolismConclusionMacbeth Essay ExampleLaby Macbeth and Witches as the Main Causes of Macbeth's DownfallConclusionWorks Cited: Outline of Macbeth EssayIntroductionOverview of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth"Introduction of the idea that multiple factors contribute to Macbeth's downfallThe role of Lady MacbethLady Macbeth's initial response to Macbeth's ambitionThe metaphor of "milk of human kindness" of MacbethLady Macbeth's manipulation and influence on MacbethMacbeth's underlying ambitionThe influence of the witchesThe introduction of the witches into the playTheir role in implanting the idea of power in Macbeth's mindMacbeth's response to the witches' prophecyThe contrast between Macbeth and BanquoThe symbolism of the witchesWitches as symbols of destiny and propheciesMacbeth's visit to the witches' caveThe consequences of the witches' propheciesConclusionThe combined influence of Lady Macbeth, the witches and Macbeth's own ambitionThe use of imagery, symbolism, and dialogue in the play to depict these influences The complexity of Macbeth's downfall with multiple forces at play Macbeth Essay Example William Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" depicts the beginning and end of a tyrant who loses his strength of will. However, we can say that the fault does not lie solely with Macbeth since the witches and Lady Macbeth were partly responsible for Macbeth's downfall. This can be demonstrated through various techniques such as symbolism, metaphors and the use of dialogue. The moment Lady Macbeth receives her husband's letter, she begins to plot the death of the current king, Duncan. This then leads to Lady Macbeth urging Macbeth to gain power, influence, and status as king and queen. Lady Macbeth believes that Macbeth is too soft, as evidenced by the use of the metaphor "too full of the milk of human kindness" (Act I, scene VII).Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Laby Macbeth and the witches, the main causes of Macbeth's downfall. This metaphor refers to the milk that a baby drinks when young and innocent; thus Lady Macbeth compares Macbeth's innocence to that of a baby. Because of his gentleness, she finds that she must push him to accept Duncan's murder through manipulation. She does this by cajoling him, scorning him and scorning his manhood. However, in a way, it is not such a difficult task since Macbeth himself desires deep within himself the position of king. His ambition is reflected in the use of the aside when Duncan names Malcolm as Prince of Cumberland. This shows her determination and the audience can see that Lady Macbeth has somewhat underestimated her husband. Despite the fact that Lady Macbeth plays a role in Macbeth's downfall, the witches are also a significant factor. It can be said that without the witches the play could not continue or even be created. The witches are seen at the very beginning of the play and it is they who set off the momentum of the play. Without them passing the idea on to Macbeth, it is quite possible that Macbeth would have remained loyal to Duncan. Before the witches approached Macbeth, he had always been Duncan's trusted subject and Macbeth had admired him. “his great office…” showed that he may have continued to be the brave soldier in battle that he was first described as. At the same time, the witches had probably wreaked havoc; which started when Macbeth murdered Duncan until Macbeth's downfall. The witches probably wanted to seewhether Macbeth would heed their prophecy that he would be Thane of Cawdor and then king or whether he would just let it happen. From here the contrast between Macbeth's nature and Banquo's is stunning, the audience can see that Banquo would rather let things happen than kill anyone to make the prophecy come true. Macbeth, on the other hand is different. At the very beginning, when the witches first mention the prophecy, the audience can see that they want to know more as they pursue them, but don't entirely believe it to be true. He doubts the witches but when Ross arrives and tells him that he is now the Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth gradually begins to believe the witches more and more. This is when Macbeth falls because he is thinking too much about what the witches are telling him. . The witches themselves seem to symbolize evil, but they are not portrayed as villains. Indeed, in the play, with Macbeth's ambition and at the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth's ambition and determination, they drive the play. When the witches were first seen by Macbeth, he states "what foul creatures... such as rags are like hair..." (Act I, Scene III), the audience is immediately given the image of old witches neglected women who have nothing better to do. They symbolize destiny and prophecies but are not presented in a good light. When Macbeth visits them in their cave, the audience discovers the full extent of his “witchcraft” through the image of cauldrons, burnings and hallucinations. In a sense, the cave itself seems to show the loneliness and emptiness of the witches. Once he visits the cave he is shown many things, namely that Macduff is a threat and that once Birnam Wood is moved, Macbeth is doomed. From here we can see that he is falling and falling and will not stop because everything has been set in motion. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion So we can see that the witches and Lady Macbeth were important and responsible factors in Macbeth's downfall. However, they cannot be said to be solely responsible for his downfall, as Macbeth's own ambitions and actions led to his tragic downfall. The use of imagery, symbolism, and dialogue (aside) helped the audience realize that nothing can be attributed to one person. When someone is at fault, there can be many other forces behind it. 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