“ Macbeth “ William Shakespeare C. E. Notes
Discuss the factors which play a part in the downfall of Macbeth.
Think about the factors that change the description of Macbeth from
“brave Macbeth” and “noble Macbeth” in Act One to “this dead
butcher” in the final act.
Consider the influence of :
1. The witches/the supernatural.
2. Lady Macbeth.
3. Macbeth`s fatal flaw of ambition/insecurity as king.
Textual evidence:
1. The witches in the very first scene are planning to meet Macbeth
in order to trick him. From the very start, the atmosphere of evil
is created and the sense that things are not what they appear.
“ Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”P.3 (Act 1 sc1 l.12 )
They meet Macbeth and Banquo and make prophecies about their
future, which Macbeth pays great attention to. P.11(Act 1 sc3) First
witch :
“All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis.”
Second witch: “ All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor.”
Third witch: “ All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter.”
Macbeth reacts very strongly to this as shown in P.17(Act 1 sc3 l.133136):
“……why do I yield to that suggestion,
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs
Against the use of nature?”
It seems that he is already thinking about the murder of Duncan as
the most direct way to gain the throne, but he rapidly decides against
murder.P.17(Act1 sc3l.142-143)
“ If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me /Without
my stir.”
Banquo is naturally wary of the witches and warns Macbeth that they
may trick him. P.15( Act1 sc3 L.123-125)
“The instruments of darkness tell us truths;
Win us with honest trifles, to betray`s
In deepest consequence.”
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It appears that Macbeth quickly changes his mind about murder and
decides to leave his future up to fate.P17( Act1 sc3 L143)
“If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me/Without
my stir.”
Later, after the murder of Duncan, Macbeth returns to the witches
for more information. He seeks them out this time and is willingly
influenced by them. It appears that they know exactly what he wants
to find out without him having to ask.P.103( Act 4 scene 1 L.69)He is
tortured by the thought that his descendants will never be kings. They
give him three pieces of information which fill Macbeth with false
confidence about his invincibility.
FIRST APPARITION “Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth: beware
Macduff.”
SECOND APPARITION “ Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to
scorn
The power of man, for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.”
THIRD APPARITION”Macbeth shall never vanquished be until
Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him.”
Although he is reassured by this, his torment and misery increases
when they show him a procession of kings which seem to go on to
infinity, all descendants of Banquo.
Macbeth learns too late that they are out to trick and torment
him.P.107(Act4 sc1L.137-138)
“Infected be the air whereon they ride,
And damned all those that trust them.”
2. Lady Macbeth also plays an important part in influencing Macbeth
and thus contributes to his downfall. P.23( Act 1 sc 5) She
immediately plans to persuade Macbeth to murder Duncan (on
receipt of the letter from her husband) as she believes that
Macbeth is “…too full o`th`milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way.” And that he is “..not without
ambition, but without
The illness should attend it.”
She feels that he is too decent a person to commit the murder of the
king and she looks forward to his arrival so that she will be able to
influence him.
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P.23(Act1 sc5 L.23-24) “Hie thee hither
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear.”
She tells Macbeth exactly how they have to behave. She is in control.
P.27(Act1 sc6L.63-64)
“…..look like th`innocent flower,
But be the serpent under`t.”
And “……you shall put
This night`s great business into my dispatch.”(Act1 sc6 L66)
It is, again, Lady M. who appears to be more in control when she
realises that Macbeth has decided not to go ahead with the murder
after thinking deeply about the situation.
Lady M, reacts furiously and accuses her husband of cowardice and
lack of manliness in order to persuade him to go ahead with the
murder.
“When you durst do it, then you were a man.”
She applies
emotional and psychological blackmail. P.33( Act1 sc7 L.38-39)
“…….From this time,
Such I account thy love.”
She says that he will be “ a coward in thine own esteem” if he fails
to kill Duncan. She even says that she would rather murder her own
child than go back on her word.
During the murder scene , she yet again is in control and much
calmer than Macbeth and her influence is obvious.
She warns him not to think about the implications of the murder.
P.45(Act 2 sc2 L.36-37) “These deeds must not be thought
After these ways; so, it will make us mad.”
She gives him clear instructions as he is so overcome with the
enormity of his deed that he seems unable to function. Once more she
accuses him of cowardice. P.47( Act 2 sc2 L.66)
“ My hands are of your colour, but I shame
To wear a heart so white.”
3. Macbeth is also responsible for his own downfall as his only motive
for murdering Duncan is ambition and he is aware of this. He is
described as a brave and honourable soldier at the beginning of the
play, but his one weakness or fatal flaw is his ambition. P.31 (Act 1
sc7 L.25-28) “……I have no spur
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To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition which o`erleaps itself
And falls on th`other-“
It appears that once he has been persuaded and goaded into
murdering Duncan, however, he needs no further encouragement to
kill others. He gains no pleasure or satisfaction in being king as he
is haunted by the thought that he has committed a dreadful crime
and sold his soul to the devil for the benefit of Banquo`s
descendants.
P.69( Act 3 sc1 L.62-63)“ Upon my head they placed a fruitless
crown
And put a barren sceptre in my gripe.”
He has no peace of mind and feels that his position as king is not
secure. He begins to feel envious of Duncan as he is dead and no
longer troubled. P. 77 (Act 3 sc2 l.36)
“ O, full of scorpions is my mind , dear wife!”
His horror increases when he discovers that, although Banquo has
been murdered, Fleance has escaped and this means that Banquo`s
descendants still can become future kings, instead of Macbeth`s
offspring.P.81 Act 3 sc4 L.21) “ Then comes my fit again.”
His deterioration into a tyrant and a butcher accelerates as his
torment and insecurity increase. He needs no input or
encouragement from his wife and no longer has any moral scruples
or even second thoughts about murder.P.89( Act3 sc4 L.135-138)
“……for mine own good,
All causes shall give way. I am in blood
Stepped in so far that should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o`er.”
This scene ends with a chilling comment from Macbeth to Lady
Macbeth. “ We are but young in deed.” The transformation in his
character is now complete. He requires no help from anyone and
seems to have developed a taste for murder.
This is further shown in Act 4 sc1 after he has been tormented by
the apparitions which reinforce his misery and insecurity about the
future.P.107 ( Act4 sc1 L.145-147)“ …….From this moment,
The very firstlings of my heart shall be
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The firstlings of my hand.”
He will not give murder a second thought and plans to kill whenever
he feels like it.
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