No one to blame but Macbeth Decisions can be impacted by a number of factors; but in the end we have to be the ones to take responsibility for our actions. This is demonstrated when we see Macbeth transform from a brave soldier to a power-hungry murderer, feared by all his subjects. Macbeth is the one to blame for his own descent into cruelty and murder because he let his ambition, arrogance and greed take over his mind. While some may claim that Macbeth is to blame for his actions, others argue that it is the force of the supernatural that leads to his demise. Early on the witches reveal prophecies to Macbeth suggesting his rise to power.
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Donalbain says that, “Where we are there are daggers in men’s smiles” (2.4.141)… And in this play, perception plays a big role. Hence, the reoccurring main theme “fair is foul and foul is fair” (1.1.10). Macbeth and his devious plans become his downfall, and unfortunately for him the murders will not cease. Corruption begins with the predictions of the witches and their paradox statements about future events. Since Macbeth is so hung up on their words, he and Lady Macbeth develop this growing ambition to take the throne.
Macbeth relies on the witches who feed him prophecies and glimpses of the future. After Macbeth hears the witches prophecy, “All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter”(Shakespeare I, iii, 50)! Macbeth immediately thinks that he should be king. When Lady Macbeth finds out about the witches, she leads Macbeth into her plan which involves cold blooded murder. Macbeth is a little nervous at first, but Lady Macbeth is able to get Macbeth to agree with her to kill King Duncan.
Another prophecy made by the witches was that Banquo's son will be king. Fuelled by paranoia, lack of sleep andvisions, Macbeth was thrown into a state of confusion and a belief that the prophecies were inevitable. Lady Macbeth urged her husband to commit murder and it was this action that sparked Macbeth's downfall. When Lady Macbeth heard about the prophecies made by the witches, and how one of them had already come true, she called upon evil spirits to guide her through her task - killing the king. ."..
It seems that most people believe that Macbeth is the real villain of the play, after firstly killing the King but then Banquo and Macduff’s family but through Macbeth’s own ambition and desire for power, Lady Macbeth was able to manipulate and evoke weaknesses in Macbeth’s character to cause his respectable needs as a loyal solider, to turn into evil motivations. In the course of the play Macbeth’s mind changes from thinking logically to thinking unreasonably and acting impulsively on every thought that comes to his mind. The ideas that Lady Macbeth had and the prophesies from the witches came together to lead Macbeth into the conflicted character he become, going from a loyal, respected soldier into a tragic flawed hero. Before Macbeth’s character shifted into villainy he was a loyal and respected thane. His desire for power grew throughout the play and begins when he first encoumis, then they hail him the thane of Cawdor, which he didn’t yet know of, to him soon would be his next, second title.
Witches come and reveal to him a prophecy of his future, which makes him want it straight away. Lady Macbeth keeps pushing for Macbeth to do whatever it takes to get what the weird sisters have predicted will happen, and finally goes ahead with it. Macbeth kills numerous people to have his prophecy fulfilled and is now the complete opposite person of who he was at the beginning of the play, but it is hard to blame Macbeth for his own demise because of these other factors because they play a role in boosting his actions Macbeth wasn’t an ambitious character until he met the witches. Macbeth is the most “worthiest cousin” of the Kind and is a “brave” soldier serving under him. He is established as a good character in the play and it is apparent that he had no real ambitions until he met the witches.
Macbeth becomes inspired by what he learned from the witches. “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater,” and “not so happy, yet much happier”; Then they tell him that he will never be king but that his children will sit upon the throne. The three witches are tools in Macbeth’s actions because they are the ones who plant the seeds in his head. The witches are responsible for giving Macbeth a reason to kill the king. “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me/ Without my stir”.
Is Macbeth Responsible For His Downfall? Who is responsible for the downfall of Macbeth? He is manipulated by the witches, encouraged by his wife, but ultimately he chooses to act. His first conference with the witches, Macbeth’s ambition was planted and his mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of murder and betrayal. It fair to say, in addition, that if his betrayal caused this extensive pain that clouded him after he murders Duncan, Banquo and the Macduff’s that it wasn’t a case of fate and was his own doing.
His own human nature, paranoia and selfishness are what leads him to his death. Macbeth is to blame for his death at the end of the play. Macbeth is manipulated by the witches and believes in their prophecies. The witches have considerable influence over Macbeth throughout the play. First, their early predictions stating that he will be king, and then the predictions of the apparitions saying that he only could be murdered by someone that was not born of a woman.
After placing his trust in the witches’ prophecies he has no remorse and will use any means necessary to obtain the throne. Macbeth said, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me”(Macbeth, Act 1 scene iii). Macbeth is easily tempted by the witches, his wife, and his own ambitions to get what he believes he is destined to have. After his first crime of killing Duncan he continues with more atrocities with increasing ease. When he has done the deed he changes into the man he never imagined he would become.