Macbeth is responsible for his own downfall. In the end he committed the murder, no one had a knife to his throat forcing him, he did it out of his own free will. However it is very clear that other people influenced him into continuing. These people were mainly the witches and Lady Macbeth. The witches lay temptation in the way of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth used Macbeth’s weaknesses to bully him into doing what she wished. The way in which the witches and Lady Macbeth are alike is that both used Macbeth’s weaknesses to force him into doing what they desire.
These weaknesses are his greed, ambition and vanity. Although we know that Macbeth’s fall from grace was by his own decisions, there were no spells cast and he was not forced physically into doing it, the only real reason he did it is because of his extreme need or want to be great. The witches certainly did not help matters with their trickery but they cannot be primarily blamed, as they cast no spell that would force Macbeth into committing the murder.
It could be argued though that if Macbeth just rode right by and did not listen to the witches then he would not have been encouraged into thinking of his murderous thoughts. Once again Macbeth and only Macbeth could have changed this, making Macbeth more and more guilty of his own downfall. Because Macbeth is an ambitious character he bares what the witches said in mind. So when he becomes the Thane of Cawdor (The second name of which the witches referred to him as), his ambition kicks in and for the first time he thinks that it may just be possible for him to become king.
At this moment Banquo realises how this new title has affected Macbeth and so he tells him: oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence. ” Basically Banquo is saying that often, to bring about our own damnation, the agents of evil will tell us truths, so that we put our trust in them; then they deceive us into doing wrongful things.
After reviewing what the witches have and haven’t done, it is clear to me that although they are guilty of setting temptation in the mind of Macbeth, there was no witchcraft, no spells cast and they forced nothing upon him, so in this case Macbeth is the only guilty party. Macbeth committed the murder alone by himself; the only real reasons were his weaknesses, his greed, vanity and ambition, these things all helped him pursue the murder of King Duncan. Just like the witches, Lady Macbeth used Macbeth’s weaknesses against him. She forced him mentally; she provoked and insulted him.
She would have done anything to get her own way. The part that really was the last straw and gave Macbeth one of the final pushes in the direction of the murder was this: Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place did then adhere, and yet you make both: they have made themselves, and their fitness now does unmake you. ” Lady Macbeth is saying that when Macbeth firstly suggested the murder he was a man because neither the time nor the place was suitable yet he still spoke of it, but now when the time and place are perfect he is afraid and so unmakes him a man.
This really hurts him mainly because of who has said it to him. It is clear that Macbeth loves Lady Macbeth deeply, and so when he hears her say that he is no longer a man he decides swiftly that if this how he will prove to her that he is still a man then so be it. Basically once again Macbeth decided, on his own to continue with the murder. Although Lady Macbeth did bully him into continuing, he in the end still had to say yes, besides she used no physical means to do so. She just manipulated him working mainly with his weaknesses, weakening him into doing what she wanted and continuing on his murderous path.
The witches and Lady Macbeth were not the only help given to Macbeth’s fall from grace. The King himself helped also, King Duncan put all of his trust in Macbeth just like he did with the last Thane of Cawdor. After having the last one betray him you would have thought that he would be more cautious with whom he places his trust with next, but no he ends up, again, putting his trust in one of the few people that want him dead, Macbeth. Immensely ironic as it is, it also seemed to me to be a little convenient.
This is where I thought the witches had cast a spell on Duncan, yet I now realise that he is just a very trusting man and an extremely bad judge of character. The witches, Lady Macbeth and the King once again were not the only offered help to Macbeth. Whilst he was approaching the sleeping quarters of the King he saw a dagger floating in the air. This dagger was being produced by his own mind and was facing in the direction of the King’s quarters, it was pointing him in the direction of which he has been told to go.
Macbeth was starting to reconsider the whole idea of killing one of few good kings that have reigned Scotland. Macbeth at this time was confused and probably worried that if he did not continue then his wife would leave him. So this dagger was projected from his mind to guide him on the way to fulfil and put right his weaknesses, his wife and his life. In conclusion to all of the evidence provided above my opinion stays as clear as it was to start with; yes, Macbeth is responsible for his own downfall.
In the end he did not have to do it, he was not physically forced into it and there was not one spell cast. The only things that helped Macbeth in his decision were people provoking him, such as the witches and Lady Macbeth. If there was to be one way in which Macbeth may not have continued to enforce the deed then it would have been where the king woke to find Macbeth standing above him with the dagger. Had the King not awakened to see Macbeth then Macbeth would not have had that very final shove and I don’t think he would have killed him.