Ada Tam 11.3 Mr.

Brasher

English Summative Assessment

Focus Question:
Who or what is responsible for the downfall of Macbeth?
The corrupted intentions and actions of the three witches, Lady Macbeth and the battlefield
warrior, Macbeth, are ultimately culpable for his own tragic fate and downfall. Macbeth is a play
written by William Shakespeare to show despicable notions from human and supernatural forces.
The play is heavily reliant on the responsibility, determination and the actions of individuals. It is
fundamental to acknowledge that the intentions initiated from an individual can affect the whole
outcome, which is what Shakespeare conveyed dramatically in Macbeth. In the story, the three
witches approach Macbeth and Banquo, offering their prophecies that rooted the series of
killings. Whereas, under the powerful persuasion by Lady Macbeth, he is fully convinced to
murder Duncan. Overwhelmed by the desire of attaining and securing his throne, Macbeth makes
the consequent decision to continue with the murder of the innocent - his former friends and
allies. The wicked intentions and actions committed by the three witches, Lady Macbeth and
Macbeth in the play have led to the collapse of a well-respected hero to a psychologically
tormented man.

With the three witches understanding of the frailty of Macbeth, they have distorted his ambition,
intending him to enter the realm of fatalism, where he loses control over his destiny. The
prophecies informed by the witches are also the roots of all deeds committed by Macbeth. In the
story, Macbeth and Banquo encounter the three witches while they are on their path to the Kings
court after the battle has ended. Upon learning about the prophecies Glamis, and thane of
Cawdor! The greatest is behind. (Act 1 Scene 3) , Macbeth is indulged by the temptation of

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becoming the king. When the first part of the prophecy becomes true, it has significant influence
on Macbeths belief in the full prophecy. However, it also has impact on his ambition to murder
Duncan. From the prophecies, Shakespeare insinuates that Macbeth would commit immoral acts
to kill King Duncan to attain the throne, hence reflecting Macbeths turning point into a
treacherous traitor and his ambitious nature. The prophecies also reveal that Banquos
descendants will become kings Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. (Act 1 Scene 3),
which causes the murder of Banquo later in the story when Macbeth becomes threatened by
Banquo, fearing that Banquos family will overthrow Macbeths as he will have no heir to
succeed the throne. The escape of Banquos son, Fleance during the attempted murder, has put
Macbeth in extreme fear during the feast with the lords as he deeply believes that the witches
prophecy are true. The three witches intent to inform Macbeth about his destiny is to seek for
trouble within human lives. While the witches are dancing around the cauldron, they have
chanted Double, double toil and trouble (Act 4 Scene 1), which communicates the witches
idea of yielding twice the toil and provoke the trouble for Macbeth, pointing to the calamities he
suffers from the murder of Duncan and Banquo and the failure of his kingship. The witches are
responsible for the origin of Macbeths anxiety and metal delusion, which leads to his downfall
as they use an understated form of allurement to effectively guide his path to self destruction
from their given prophecies.

Lady Macbeths love and devotion to Macbeth kindled her corrupted intention to plot Duncans
murder to fulfill her husbands ambitions to become the King. The manipulation of Lady
Macbeth largely influences the engagement of Macbeth in King Duncans murder, which

Ada Tam 11.3 Mr.Brasher

provokes the breakdown of his own mentality. Lady Macbeth is an ambitious and devious
woman who has full strength to control and influence the thoughts of her husband. Her intentions
for Macbeth to become the King of Scotland are clearly displayed in the story when she
immediately plots Duncans murder after she has received Macbeths letter about the witches
prophecy. Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be what thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy
nature; It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness (Act 1 Scene 5), Lady Macbeth strongly
expresses her fear of Macbeths lack of determination to attain the Scottish crown in a ruthless
manner. She is utterly conscious that she will have to pressure Macbeth into committing the
regicide as her husbands temperament is unduly kind, which would hinder him from achieving
their desire. Therefore, she acts as an accessory to murder and remarkably plots the details of the
murder for her husband. In the story, Lady Macbeth has unscrupulous schemes to convince
Macbeth into murdering Duncan through belittling his masculinity and courage. When Macbeth
initially hesitates to Lady Macbeths evil murder plots, she fiercely interrogates his manhood
When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would be
so much more the man (Act 1 Scene 7) until he agrees to murder Duncan to prove himself.
Despite Lady Macbeth is fully aware of the immorality of the regicide, she proceeds to dismiss
Macbeths guilty conscience through her motivational speech. Shakespeare has portrayed Lady
Macbeth as a strong, merciless woman to emphasize the existence of corrupted mindsets and
intentions within humans when they hunt and desire for power. When Macbeth asks Lady
Macbeth about the consequences of their failure to murder Duncan, she answers We fail? But
screw your courage to the sticking-place, and well not fail... (Act 1 Scene 7). Lady Macbeth
calmly asserts him that as long as they stand bold, their plot would become successful. She also

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encourages Macbeth to carry out the deed by revealing her planned action of getting Duncans
two servants drunk so that they could lay all the blame on them. Once Macbeth is assured by
Lady Macbeths response, it has completely convinced him to perform the murder. In Macbeth,
Lady Macbeth plays a major role in the downfall of Macbeth. Her love and loyalty to her
husband has provoked her to have wicked intentions, which leads to her responsibility for
manipulating Macbeth. She is the main culprit and influence in the regicide. Lady Macbeths
verbal attacks on Macbeth has an important impact on his decision to perpetrate the deed, which
later established Macbeths mental sufferings from guilt and tension.

Macbeths immoral intentions in all his crimes are instigated from greed and desire for power. He
is ultimately responsible for his actions that lead to his own downfall as he has chosen to
abandon his own will, and allowed himself to be influenced by the other characters in the play.
The battlefield warrior initially manifested bravery and courage in his persona. Nevertheless, the
virtuous impression of Macbeth is distorted when nefarious forces have effectively manipulated
him into committing treacherous crimes. When Macbeth first come across with the witches, he
blindly listens to the witches prophecies with no solid proof of their validity. He is gullible
enough to believe words from the supernatural and to base his decisions upon irresolute remarks
from outsiders. Furthermore, he is blameworthy for being easily convinced to perpetrate
Duncans murder by Lady Macbeth after she verbally assaults his manhood. I am settled, and
bend up. Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show.
False face must hide what the false heart doth know. (Act 1 Scene 7), in response to Lady
Macbeths proclaimed plans for the murder, Macbeth believes he is ready to commit the deed.

Ada Tam 11.3 Mr.Brasher

Shakespeare has conveyed Macbeth as a man that is full of self-doubt to exhibit the significance
of influences that can have on an individual who lacks mental strength and direction. Greatly
famished for power, Macbeth has completely disregarded the consequences that would occur
when he is determined to assassinate Duncan. The first crime Macbeth has committed caused the
distraught over his sinful feelings. However, it has also branched another planned murder of
Banquo and Fleance. The moment on t; for t must be done tonight, and something from the
palace (Act 3 Scene 1), Macbeths paranoid caused himself to generate thoughts regarded to the
good reputation and morality of Banquo and the witches prophecy, in which Banquos
descendants taking over his throne. He is envious that Banquo demonstrates royalty of nature,
goodness and wisdom all qualities that he doesnt own. Furthermore, he believes that if the
prophecy is valid, then he has tortured his conscience and disrupted peace for their own benefit.
Consequently, he intents to continue unethical acts to retain his power and throne. Macbeths
tyrannic behavior have eventually caused the betrayal and lost of trust from the lords over the
long haul. He has befallen Scotland since he took the crown as he has devoted most of his time
on planning the murders to secure his power. Macbeth refrains from the responsibility of a King,
which leads to his own death during the combat with Macduff and Duncans son, Malcolm when
they overthrow the King. In the end, it is Macbeth who holds the final decision to commit the
series of murders to fulfill his desire for power. Macbeths weak character nevertheless prevents
himself from conquering the guilt, and he is not equipped to cope with the consequences f rom
his crimes. With his pessimistic mindset, it provoked further misconduct and corruption in the
story until his tragic death.

Ada Tam 11.3 Mr.Brasher

In conclusion, Shakespeare has conveyed the importance of responsibility and actions of

individuals, which remarkably effects the outcome in the story. Macbeth is a play that
concentrates on the corrupted intentions determined by the three witches and Lady Macbeth
carries the responsibility for vitalizing Macbeth to attain the throne. The prophecies from the
witches have originated all of the gluttonous desires for power while Lady Macbeth exacerbates
on Macbeths belief in his fate, exhorting him to perpetrate the deed. However, Macbeth is
blameworthy for his corrupted mindset and his inability to vanquish the desire of power, which
leads to his engagement in a series of murders. Nonetheless, with Macbeths reckless decisions
and actions committed throughout the story, he is ultimately culpable of his own downfall.

Bibliography:
SparkNotes: Macbeth: Analysis of Major Characters. (n.d.). SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular Study
Guides. Retrieved May 10, 2012, from http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/canalysis.html

Shakespeare, W. (n.d.). How is Macbeth responsible for his own downfall? - Macbeth - Questions &
Answers. eNotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More.. Retrieved May 10, 2012, from
http://www.enotes.com/macbeth/q-and-a/how-macbeth-responsible-his-own-downfall-150651

Shakespeare, W. (n.d.). Why did Lady Macbeth want to kill the king? - Macbeth - Questions & Answers.
eNotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More.. Retrieved May 10, 2012, from http://
www.enotes.com/macbeth/q-and-a/list-5-reasons-lady-macbeth-wanted-kill-king-160441

Shakespeare, W. (2005). Macbeth. S.l.: Oxford Univerity.