Free Essays on Macbeth

Macbeth Macbeth is the tale of an over ambitious man pushed into committing a brutal murder that escalated into a massacre of people. Shakespeare’s depiction of women in this play shows how manipulating they can become when they lack physical strength. Both the witches and Lady Macbeth played key roles in shaping Macbeth into a power hungry tyrant. But the blame for the murders cannot be places solely on one person for each one was guilty in their own way. Through out the play, we encounter three witches who represent Fate. The witches were known to toy with people using their magic as they described in Act1 scene 3 when they sent a storm out on a poor sailor. Being able to see the future, they met with Macbeth and hailed him as three things, Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and shalt be king hereafter. They knew that once Macbeth was honored as Thane of Cawdor, his ambition and lust for power would be revealed. Macbeth had fallen into their power when their predictions came true. If they had never spoken with Macbeth, the idea of Macbeth becoming king would have never been raised, preventing these murders. When the play began, Macbeth was more of an easily manipulated person and so was pushed into proceeding with his initial reaction. Lady Macbeth was as ambitious as her husband was and stronger. She wanted the power for herself and her husband. We see how badly she wanted this when she prays to the spirits to â€Å"unsex her† and to â€Å"stop up the access and passage to remorse† so that they could follow through with this cruel act. She was so heartless that she planned on framing innocent men for the murder of the king showing her masculine thoughts in this woman’s body. Lady Macbeth knew that her husband would talk himself out of the plan and so she manipulated him by questioning his manhood and calling him a coward if he didn’t go through with it. This pushed him over the top and he continued with the scheme so as to ... Free Essays on Macbeth Free Essays on Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth is the tale of an over ambitious man pushed into committing a brutal murder that escalated into a massacre of people. Shakespeare’s depiction of women in this play shows how manipulating they can become when they lack physical strength. Both the witches and Lady Macbeth played key roles in shaping Macbeth into a power hungry tyrant. But the blame for the murders cannot be places solely on one person for each one was guilty in their own way. Through out the play, we encounter three witches who represent Fate. The witches were known to toy with people using their magic as they described in Act1 scene 3 when they sent a storm out on a poor sailor. Being able to see the future, they met with Macbeth and hailed him as three things, Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and shalt be king hereafter. They knew that once Macbeth was honored as Thane of Cawdor, his ambition and lust for power would be revealed. Macbeth had fallen into their power when their predictions came true. If they had never spoken with Macbeth, the idea of Macbeth becoming king would have never been raised, preventing these murders. When the play began, Macbeth was more of an easily manipulated person and so was pushed into proceeding with his initial reaction. Lady Macbeth was as ambitious as her husband was and stronger. She wanted the power for herself and her husband. We see how badly she wanted this when she prays to the spirits to â€Å"unsex her† and to â€Å"stop up the access and passage to remorse† so that they could follow through with this cruel act. She was so heartless that she planned on framing innocent men for the murder of the king showing her masculine thoughts in this woman’s body. Lady Macbeth knew that her husband would talk himself out of the plan and so she manipulated him by questioning his manhood and calling him a coward if he didn’t go through with it. This pushed him over the top and he continued with the scheme so as to ... Free Essays on Macbeth Lady Macbeth Responsible For Duncan's Death John Keating English Honors Lady Macbeth Must Take Some Blame for Her Husband’s Destruction In Macbeth, a play written by Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth is partially responsible for the destruction of her husband. Lady Macbeth is not a monster without feelings, however she is tricky and cunning when she influences Macbeth to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth’s ability to influence her husband leads the audience to believe that she is the primary cause for the destruction of Macbeth. The audience is also led to believe that Lady Macbeth is responsible because she makes up the details of the plan to kill Duncan, while Macbeth was considering not even going through with the murder. Although Macbeth had the thought of killing Duncan, he would not have acted on that thought unless Lady Macbeth persuaded him. Lady Macbeth is sly person, able to manipulate her husband, and this ability to manipulate Macbeth makes her partially responsible for the destruction of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth knows that her husband is too kind to kill Duncan without her help she fears â€Å"thy nature; / It is too full o’th’ milk of human kindness / to catch the nearest way† (I.v.16-18). She is very much aware of the fact that she needs to push Macbeth to kill Duncan or else he will not do it. We see Macbeth’s hesitance to murder the king when he lists reasons not to kill Duncan in Act 1, when he says, â€Å"He’s here in double trust: / First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, / Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, / Who should against his murderer shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself† (I.vii.12-16). Macbeth then says, â€Å"Besides, this Duncan / Hath born his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like angles, trumpet-tongued, against / The deep damnation of his taking off† (I.vii.16-19). We s... Free Essays on Macbeth The Tragedy of Macbeth There are many themes in the play Macbeth that apply to today’s world. Greed is one of the main themes in this particular Shakespeare play. An example of a person who is greedy in this play is Lady Macbeth. There are many power struggles that occur in Macbeth. Many people wanted to be kings and have power, but couldn’t. Macbeth wanted to have power, but he couldn’t control himself when it came to doing something about it. The third theme would have to be self-control. People need to know how to think or what to do in certain situations such as the problems that go on in the play Macbeth. Everyone, at some point in time in their life, feels greed. I know that I have felt greedy at least once in my life. A lot of people do not realize it until they are told by someone else. Lady Macbeth would be considered a greedy person in Macbeth. She is a deeply ambitious woman who lusts for power and position. She begs her husband, Macbeth, to kill Duncan and seize the crown. Lady Macbeth is eventually taken to madness and suicide by her guilt over all of the problems that have occurred. Greed is one of the reasons why Lady Macbeth killed herself. There were always very many power struggles that went on throughout the entire play. Power was pretty much all that anyone wanted in Macbeth. Macbeth kills Duncan in order to become the king of Scotland. Macbeth is also Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth wants power more than anything. He hires a group of murderers to kill Banquo. The witches tell Macbeth that he cannot be harmed by any man born of woman, and he will be safe until Birnam Wood moves itself to Dunsinane Castle. Macbeth feels pretty relieved with those ideas. During the play Macbeth, Macbeth goes through many times where he has no self-control. An example of that would have to be when at the royal feast, Banquo’s ghost visits Macbeth, causing him to cry out and startle... Free Essays on Macbeth Like so many of Shakespeare's plays, Macbeth is also a tragedy. There are many events in the play, which prove this. They are the murders of many innocent people. Three such murders are the murder of the king Duncan, and the murder of Banquo, which was ordered by Macbeth, and the murder Macduff's wife and son. These events are what make Shakespeare's, Macbeth a true tragedy. The murder of Duncan, the king of Scotland, was one of the main events of this tragedy. Every one, his subjects, his generals, the noblemen of Scotland, and all others liked Duncan. However, for the greed of power the General of his own army, Macbeth, murdered Duncan. When the news of Duncan's death spread across Scotland, people were terrified. Duncan was an innocent person. He had done nothing wrong. Macbeth's reason for murdering Duncan was to be his successor. He wanted to be king badly; this is what drove him into coming up with the plan of killing Duncan. This murder pleased Macbeth, and his wife. However, the murder of Duncan does not please the people of Scotland, or Banquo, Duncan's other military general. Banquo suspects, Macbeth of killing king Duncan. Macbeth was driven to the craze of power, when the three witches, told him, that he would be king after Duncan had passed away. â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!†(Act1 sc.3 p17) said the first wi tch. ! â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!†(Act1 sc.3 p17) said the second witch. â€Å"All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!† (Act1 sc3 p17) said the third witch. Macbeth was not patient enough to wait for Duncan to die of natural causes and so he killed him. An innocent person killed for the greed of power. The second event, which caused this play to become a tragedy, is the death of Banquo. Macbeth was also told by the witches that Banquo's children would be Macbeth's successor. Macbeth got worried that he will lose his throne. â€Å"To be thus is nothing, But t... Free Essays on MACBETH Macbeth AP English 1* While reading Macbeth many questions concerning the interpretation of scenes may arise in one’s mind. Shakespeare’s depiction of various important actions in the play allows the reader to personally decide how each scene is being portrayed. This variability in the interpretation of some key scenes makes it possible to give an in depth analysis of the events effecting many outcomes. One of these perplexing questions that arose throughout the reading was whether it was the witches’ and their prophecies or Lady Macbeth that had a greater influence on Macbeth’s murderous actions. A second inquiry that came up was one having to do with fate and Macbeth’s actions in attempts to change it. Did Macbeth have to take any action in order to meet his fate or was it inevitable that certain things would occur? A third and final question that persisted throughout the play was the uncertainty of Lady Macbeth’s feelings towards the murders. Did Lady Macbethâ €™s guilt lead to compassion for the victims, thus showing that she did indeed have a conscience or was she purely evil, feeling no remorse at all throughout the entire play? Although there is really no right answer to these questions, one can try to analyze the way in which Shakespeare hoped each scene would be interpreted. Perhaps Shakespeare himself purposely left these vital scenes open-ended in order to allow the reader to get what they wanted out of the play. Was it the witches’ prophecies in the first scene of the play that had the greatest impact on Macbeth’s murderous rampage or did Lady Macbeth convince him to do these evil things through her demeaning comments and persuasive mockery? The witches did shock Macbeth with their prophecies, that to him seemed impossible, but it was Lady Macbeth who ultimately talked Macbeth into slaughtering his first victim. The prophecies merely planted a seed in Macbeth’s mind that continued to gro... Free Essays on Macbeth People are often influenced by their peers to make certain important decisions. Even though most have the strength and self-control to make their own decisions, occasionally one may make the wrong decision due to the pressure of another person. Obviously it is wrong to persuade someone to make a bad decision, but it is just as bad to make that wrong decision. Moreover, It is very hard to say who would be guiltier. In the play by Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are both very guilty for different reasons. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a trusted soldier, who is honest and noble. Unfortunately, he meets three witches who tell him three prophecies; that he will become thane of Cawdor that he will become king and that Banquo’s sons will become kings. These three prophecies slowly change his opinions on life and turn him into a greedy, dishonest, tyrant, full of ambition. Lady Macbeth’s thoughts change as well when she is told about the three prophecies that were told to Macbeth. In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is ambitious, controlling and domineering. She is the one who encourages him to kill the king, she not only encourages him, she makes all the plans herself, which shows her determination and persistence, which proves her more guilty. â€Å"Yet I do fear thy nature, it is too full o’th milk of human kindness. To catch the nearest way thou wouldst be great. Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it." (Act 1, scene 5) . Lady Macbeth is the force behind Macbeth’s sudden ambition and she tries to manipulate him into feeling guilty and unmanly for not following through with the murder, by using her husband’s emotions, she manages to convince Macbeth to murder Duncan. After the death of King Duncan, Macbeth becomes the more controlling one, and Lady Macbeth’s guilt eventually becomes too much for her to handle which leads to her death. Which shows that she... Free Essays on Macbeth â€Å"Trace the Use of Blood Imagery Throughout the Play and Discuss it’s Significance† Throughout the story of Macbeth blood plays a sickening yet significant role. Blood is used as a symbol of guilt, but is also used to signify death. In the beginning of the play Macbeth is showed to be a faithful knight who could do no wrong, but as his days continued he proved to be a man obsessed with the future. Unfortunately, his future involved many disgraceful things including murder upon murder. Macbeth’s first murder is the first time we see the significant use of blood. After murdering Duncan, Macbeth says this, â€Å"Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red.† (II, ii, 59-62) Macbeth is feeling his guilt and believes that this â€Å"blood† will never be washed from his hands. The blood he is referring to is not only the actual blood but the guilt he is facing. The blood in this situation is used to signify Macbeth’s guilt. Another instance of the use of blood is when Macbeth states, â€Å" Blood hath been shed ere now, i’ the’ olden time, Ere humane statute purged the gentle weal; Ay, and since too, murders have been performed Too terrible for the ear. The times has been That, when the brains were out, the man would die........† (III, iv, 76-80). This is an example of how Macbeth feels about how death is treated. He believes that blood is shed because government made it seem not as bad as it really is. The last time we see an imagery of blood in Macbeth is when the apparitions visit him after Macduff’s death. The second apparition was a bloodied symbol of Macduff. Shakespeare tells us that the second apparition is a bloody child, a symbol of Macduff at birth. â€Å" Be bloody, bold, and resolute! Laugh to scorn The pow’r of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth† (I... Free Essays on Macbeth The story of Macbeth, like most of Shakespeare's plays, tells a story that has a moral lesson attached to it. Macbeth was essentially a man who craved power but when a prophecy was revealed that he would indeed gain that which he sought, Macbeth wasn't satisfied. Instead, he went to great lengths to ensure that his power lasted longer than it should have. He ahdered to the evil whims and plans of his wife, Lady Macbeth, and put himself in a position that destroyed his self respect, ruined his pride, degraded his honor, and spoiled his integrity... all in order to possess...and maintain the crown... Macbeth is a character of powerful contradictions. He is a man who, for the simple sake of his own ambition, is willing to murder his king and his best friend. At the same time, Macbeth has a conscience so strong that the mere thought of his crimes torments him to no end. As with any of Shakespeare's work, what we learn is essentially up to us as is the way we view the story. Reading Macbeth, one could easily infer that the pursuit of power and control bare a great price. We see that Macbeth essentially loses his integrity and honor as a direct result of his own actions. Macbeth is no longer happy with who he is or what he has done despite the fact he gets all that which he set out to gain. This is a very common lesson indeed: Macbeth failed to realize that he needed to be more proud of himself than of the material things he could gain. And thus, in trying to acquire his idea of "everything" Macbeth tragically lost everything instead.. The ends simply didn't justify the means nece ssary to attain them. And it is this very theme... this very idea and so many others pertinent to the study of Macbeth In 1606 William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon, wrote a play which would go down in history as the cursed Scottish play after numerous mishaps during production. It was written for his new patron, James I (James VI of Scotland), following ... Free Essays on Macbeth Aristotle defines tragedy as â€Å"an imitation of action that is admirable, complete and possesses magnitude.† A tragedy must be preformed by actors and not through narration and, if done correctly, produce a feeling of catharsis at its finale. A tragedy must contain six essential parts to be complete according to Aristotle; plot, character, dictation, thought, spectacle, and song. Macbeth, by William Shakespeare is a perfect example of an Aristotelian tragedy due to into numerous structural parallels to Aristotle’s Poetics. Macbeth, through it use of many principles laid out in Aristotle’s Poetics, is regarded as an Aristotelian tragedy. The plot is referred to as the â€Å"soul of a tragedy† by Aristotle. In the case of Macbeth the plot is complex. In order for a complex plot to be complete it must contain numerous aspects. There must be an instance of suffering, some form of active circumstance and a change in fortune brought about by a reversal, recognition, or both. A reversal is an occurrence when a character produces an opposite effect than originally intended, whereas, recognition is a change from ignorance to knowledge. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth both recognition and a reversal are present. Macbeth experiences a state of recognition when he realizes that which prophesies are unfolding to a fuller extent than he had expected. Macbeth believes that he is invincible because, the witches prophesized that no man born of woman could harm him in any way. However upon meeting Macduff in his final hour he learned that Macduff was not of natural birth because, he was untimely ripped from his mother’ s womb. This scene is also an example of a reversal. Macbeth is under the impression that he will defeat Macduff due to the fact that all men are born of woman. However, the opposite effect is produced when he learns of Macduff unnatural birth. Another aspect of Aristotelian thought that is exhibited in Macbeth is that the story is univ... Free Essays on Macbeth Macbeth is a play full of darkness, evil, and tragedy. It is the story of a man who goes against his conscience and commits a horrible deed which leads to his destruction and loss of everything he has around him. This includes the relationship he has with his wife, Lady Macbeth. In the end, he can blame no one but himself. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a very strong relationship and this deteriorates later. Act 1 Scene 5 is a key scene which shows just how close Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were at the beginning of the play; it shows their original relationship. Macbeth has written a letter to Lady Macbeth telling her of everything and in this letter states algo that she helped him to get everything for him. The following speech where Lady Macbeth doubts that he can get to the title of King "he is too full of the milk of human kindness" shows just how close they were. It establishes the fact that she knew him so well, she knew what he was like and it emphasises the closeness of their relationship. She speaks of how he has enough ambition but not enough courage. His "overiding ambition" is not enough. When Macbeth and Lady Macbeth speak, they speak to eachother with such closeness and bond; he calls her his "dearest chuck", his "partner of greatness". She knows that he is too weak to do anything and states her position in the murder "leave the rest to me". In Act 1, Scene 7 establishes the force and power that Lady Macbeth posseses over her husband. Upon hearing of Macbeth's decision not to kill Duncan, she is outraged and starts to work her force and power upon him. She knows where he is most vulnerable and attacks him at his weak spot. She strikes him at his manhood and courage. This of course works on Macbeth and she knows that it will. No one calls Macbeth a coward. She says that he is a coward and attacks his manliness. "to be more than what you are, you would be so much more the man". She challeng... Free Essays on Macbeth Macbeth King Duncan of Scotland = Duncan is a mature and effective king who rules Scotland during a time of political upheaval and turmoil. He is too old to command the armies himself and his sons are too young and inexperienced to fight in wars, but he has several great captains under his command, which allows him to remain in power. Those that remain loyal to him do so because they see that his rule is divinely sanctioned. When Macbeth hesitates in his decision to assassinate Duncan, the reason is that he fears Duncan’s â€Å"virtues / Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against the deep damnation of his taking-off† (I.vii.17-18) – that the very heavens will object to the murder of a king so holy. It turns out that Macbeth’s fears are justified – on the night of his murder, chimneys are blown down, the earth shakes, owls scream and kill falcons, and horses run wild and eat each other. Malcolm = The elder son of King Duncan, Malcolm is named the Prince of Cumberland and heir apparent early on in the play. After his father is murdered at Macbeth’s castle, he and his younger brother, Donalbain, decide to split up and flee for safety because they will probably be the next targets of the murderers. Although they are safe abroad (Malcolm in England, Donalbain in Ireland), they are not at home to defend themselves against accusations by the Scottish thanes (the equivalent of English earls), that they murdered their own father for the crown. In time, it becomes clear that Macbeth perpetrated the regicide on Duncan, and Macduff seeks out Malcolm in the English court to return to Scotland to claim his birthright and rescue them from Macbeth’s tyrannical rule. Malcolm has since been prospering in the English court of Edward the Confessor, a figure remarkably similar to Duncan, and he has learned much about politics and warfare. By the time Macduff comes looking for him, he has already enlisted the aid of Siward, Earl of Northumb... Free Essays on Macbeth â€Å"Lady Macbeth Far Worse than Macbeth† Lady Macbeth is depicted as being much worse than her husband in Shakespeare’s play , â€Å"Macbeth† . Although they both think of murdering King Duncan as soon as they hear the witches' prophecies, Macbeth thinks more about what he may or may not do, whereas Lady Macbeth immediately appeals to evil spirits to give her the strength to kill Duncan. When Macbeth first hears the prophecies, and when the prophecies begin to be fulfilled, he does think of killing the king, but also, towards the end of Act 1, Scene 3, he thinks that perhaps he doesn't need to do anything to become the king: "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir." On the other hand, Lady Macbeth, on receiving the letter telling her about the witches' prophecies, she immediately thinks that she and Macbeth will have to kill King Duncan. She also decides that Macbeth is too nice to kill the king, sayin that he "is too ful o' the milk of human kindness" and when she hears the Duncan will visit their castle that night, she immediately appeals to the evil spirits, to (ironically) give her the strength to kill the king. In Act 1, Scene 7, Macbeth is doubtfull of Lady Macbeth's plot to kill the king. He doesn't think that he will be able to live with the guilt of killing his king while he is staying under his very roof, and then decides tha t he will not kill the king. This shows that Macbeth is thinking about what he is going to do, and shows that he does feel guilt and is weighing up the situation, unlike Lady Macbeth who never thinks twice about killing the king. When Lady Macbeth notices that Macbeth has left the room, she goes to speak to him. Macbeth firmly tells her that they will not kill the king: "we will proceed no further in this business". Lady Macbeth, however, tells him that his love is worth nothing if he refuses to go through with the plan, saying that his love is as accountable as hi... Free Essays on Macbeth Macbeth Essay In Macbeth, a play by William Shakespeare, the character Macbeth runs into many misfortunes that bring him to a terrible end. Three witches first introduce him to many strange and curious prophecies. Then his controlling wife, Lady Macbeth, pushes him to commit crimes that not even God could forgive. In the end though, Macbeth is the true master of his own destiny when he believes the prophecies that the witches feed him, when he lets Lady Macbeth control him, and then when he betrays his friends and becomes disloyal. Macbeth is the master of his own destiny when he believes all of the witches prophecies. After a long and gruesome war, Macbeth and Banquo are traveling home together and they come across three witches who give them three prophecies. The prophecies state that Macbeth will first become Thane of Cawdor, then he will be king, and then they state that Banquo’s sons will be king. Then not even a few minutes later the first prophecy given to Macbeth comes true. â€Å"He bade me from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor... For it is thine† (335,105). The king named Macbeth Thane of Cawdor for all his good deeds in war. This started Macbeth thinking that his second prophecy and Banquo’s prophecy might come true. â€Å"Glamis and Thane of Cawdor! The greatest is behind... Do you not hope your children shall be kings when those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to me promised no less to them† (335,117). Thinking that these prophecies may come true will later lead Macbeth to do many horrible deeds. Macbeth is the master of his own destiny when he allows Lady Macbeth to control him and attack his ego. Macbeth sends word to his wife as soon as his first prophecy comes true, explaining all that has happened to him. Lady Macbeth immediately devises a plan to kill King Duncan so that her husband can become king. â€Å"Be the serpent under’t. He that’s coming must be provided for: and you shall put this ni... Free Essays on Macbeth In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were alike in several ways, but they were also different in some ways. Both had similar views of what they wanted, but had different ways of getting this. This similarities and differences were shown throughout the play. Macbeth was a man of great loyalty and was well respected at the beginning of the play. Lady Macbeth was also respected in the beginning of the play. After Macbeth met with the witches and they told him about his future, he didn’t think much of it until he was named Thane of Cawdor. After he was named Thane, he began to think of what else the witches had told him. He began thinking of bigger and better things, like becoming king of Scotland. Macbeth was eager and ambitious to find out if the witches were correct about his future. He immediately wrote home to Lady Macbeth after he was named Thane of Cawdor, telling her that the king was coming to reside at their house. Lady Macbeth immediately began thinking of power and how she would love to be a queen. She began thinking of ways to murder king Duncan. After Macbeth arrived home, he didn’t like the idea of killing Duncan until Lady Macbeth questioned his manliness. After she questioned his manliness, he went along with the idea to murder Duncan because he didn’t want his wife to think less of him. They were both so ambitious that they murdered the king. Greed was also a big problem for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They both wanted power so badly they would do anything to get it, even if it meant killing innocent people, which was exactly what Macbeth did. He murdered Duncan; he also had Banquo murdered along with Macduff’s family. Lady Macbeth was also greedy because she convinced her husband into Duncan’s murder. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were also similar in the ways that they suffered. They both suffered emotionally, mentally and physically as the play progressed. After they began their murdering spree, the... Free Essays on Macbeth There are many things that tempt people to do some wrong things, something what is not allowed. Most of the time it’s easier and more fun to do wrong things than the good ones. For example it is easier to steal than to earn money by working; it easier to lie than to tell the truth. We define good and strong people by their ability to resist different kinds of their temptation. And another part of our society consists of people who are weak, who are tempted to go by an easier way but sinful. And a good example of such people is Macbeth. The witches could foretell the future for him, they could add temptation, and influence Macbeth, but they could not control his destiny. They didn’t lead him to his destructions; his ambitions and desires have destroyed him. Macbeth, at the beginning of the play seems to be a very noble person. We see him as loyal and honorable. He fights in the battle against Norway which proves his loyalty, then he is appointed Thane of Cawdor which proves that he is honorable and respected by the king. However, as soon as the witches tell him their prediction: â€Å"all hail, Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter†. (I, iii, 52) He is no longer trustworthy and becomes evil and deceiving. The witches have a great influence, but in the end, it's Macbeth's decision to fall for the temptation. Even before he reaches his home, thoughts of murder spark in his head and he is overcome with the desire to be powerful. Lady Macbeth has played an important part in tempting Macbeth for murdering even more then the witches. She was like Eve who tempts Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. Seeing that Macbeth is unsure about the witches’ prophecies she encourages Macbeth to kill the Duncan. Lady Macbeth is very ambitious person. She even says: "Thou wouldst be great/ Art not without ambition". (I, v, 80-81) Macbeth also says: "his beset... Free Essays on Macbeth Macbeth Ambitious hero or Tragic fool Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Macbeth† deals with events that demonstrate contrasts between good and evil, treason and honour. The supernatural element of the play provides a dilemma for Macbeth, which ultimately leads to his tragic down fall. In the opening scenes Shakespeare introduces Macbeth as a courageous soldier and a nobleman. â€Å"What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won† Act 1 scene 2 Macbeth is thought of very highly and is pronounced Thane of Cawdor. I think Macbeth deserved this title, because he evidently showed great courage in battle, and was highly supported by his wife. In addition to this, he showed great loyalty and tremendous ambition. In the last scenes of Act 1 Shakespeare shows how a partner can influence a person when making decisions. Macbeth greatly loved his wife, L. Macbeth he displayed this firstly his actions and speech and secondly in the way he respected her thoughts and views. Macbeth was a loyal husband and a noble thane as opposed to the tragic mistakes he made such as killing to fulfil his ambitions â€Å"O worthiest cousin† Act 1 scene 4 The king trusted Macbeth and the king tells him what a worthy Thane he is but Macbeth thinks it is just his duty. Some of Shakespeare’s language is quite archaic. Shakespeare uses great characterisation he doesn’t give each character a lengthy description, but from his writers’ craft, we can grasp their good qualities and also their bad. One of Macbeth’s traits is he was easily led astray, he might have appeared to be a strong character but L. Macbeth still managed to talk him into murder. L. Macbeth was very much in control, although it was visions that also influenced him. â€Å"Is this a dagger which I see before me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Act Scene Just before Macbeth kills Duncan he sees a dagger in a vision. The dagger is leading him towards Duncan’s chamber. I think the dagger made Macbeth n... Free Essays on Macbeth Macbeth â€Å"Macbeth† by William Shakespeare is a play, which involves the downfall of its male protagonist. Like many of Shakespeare’s plays, the hero has a tragic flaw or personal weakness, which is responsible for their downfall. In this case it is Macbeth’s â€Å"vaulting ambition† which is considered his great weakness. In this essay I will discuss to what extent I agree or disagree with this view of Macbeth’s character. As with a number of Shakespeare’s heroin’s Macbeth’s personal flaw is to some degree responsible for his eventual downfall. The only reason Macbeth and Lady Macbeth originally give for planning the murder of Duncan is this â€Å"vaulting ambition†. This is unmistakable in Act 1, Scene 7 when in lines 26 and 27 Macbeth himself says, â€Å"To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself†. This dialogue in the first act of the play lets us know that Macbeth is aware of his vaulting ambition. There is no doubt that his personal flaw is to blame for his decision to kill Duncan, but his eventual downfall, in my opinion has more to do with his fascination with the witch’s prophecy. The witch’s proclaim that Macbeth will be king and so too shall the sons of Banquo. He knows that to become king he must kill Duncan, and he also knows that it would be robbing his country of a great king. He allows Lady Macbeth and greed to cloud his judgment and he finally agrees to commit the murder. I believe the reason for Macbeth killing Duncan is due to the persuasive Lady Macbeth and his vaulting ambition. Despite this being the reason for Macbeth committing the murder of Duncan, the rest of Macbeth’s crimes, murders and his eventual downfall are due more to his obsession with the witch’s prophecy. The evil witches deceive Macbeth by giving him vague and unclear truths in their prophecies. As a result of these vague truths, Macbeth makes rash decisions that lead him to ... Free Essays on Macbeth Shakespeare’s Theme in Macbeth Macbeth is essentially a play about rebellion and the price of disorder. It is a deeply conservative play, a reactionary attack upon the enemies of kingship dressed up as a poetic mediation upon the pathology of evil. As with all classic tragedies, theatre is used to purge anti social feeling and so reinforce the status quo In the summer of 1606, Shakespeare sat contented as King James I, rapt with awe, watched Macbeth. Shakespeare had much wanted such a reaction from the King, who was well known for falling asleep during plays. Indeed it is said that his very purpose for writing Macbeth was most likely to be to honour the new King from Scotland. The Tragedy of Macbeth was based in legend, a story that James had been told repeatedly during his childhood, because of his own direct link to the story (James was one of Banquo’s foretold descendants to sit on the throne of Scotland). Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in full consciousness of these facts, knowing that writing a play that had personal connections to James, and which promoted negative feelings toward rebellion and disorder, would put him in good favour with the King. It is not only the Kings historical affiliation with the play that hints at Macbeth being written as a form of propaganda promoting peace and order. King James had personal ties with Shakespeare himself. As King, one of James’ first acts was to take over Shakespeare’s company and to promote them to be his own servants, so that henceforth they were known as the King’s Men. They acted very frequently at Court, and prospered accordingly. It was in Shakespeare’s interest to write a play that would appease James and advocate his Kingship. Perhaps of the most important pieces of evidence from a contextual perspective, supporting the above theory, are some of the events that took place during James reign. Indeed many of the events that occur in the play have a direct correlation to... Free Essays on Macbeth The Witches Are the Key The three witches in Macbeth are the key to the stories turn of events. They control the lives and destiny of every single character in the play. Everyone’s lives in this play wouldn’t have been as drastically changed if it wasn’t for the witches and their deceptive fortune telling. Actually, it should be called, â€Å"misfortune telling†. Ever since Macbeth returned from his battle, he was intrigued by the witche’s call that he would soon be King. â€Å"All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter.† (I.iii.50). The greed and pre-planning of his future rule was already taking place in Macbeth’s mind. Macbeth might have even been able to accept his rule more gracefully if the witches wouldn’t have been so vague in their predictions. Macbeth had to act on a whim, guessing what he had to do next, when he receives his title. Murder and lying clearly weren’t the right solutions to Macbeths future successes. Towards the end, after several â€Å"misfortune telling† from the hags, the gave Macbeth another hint, or tip. The second apparition said, â€Å"Be bloody, bold, and resolute! Laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.† (IV.i.80-82). This only added to Macbeth’s excessive greed and willingness to stop anyone that’s poses a threat to his advance in the hierarchy. The apparition also ceases Macbeth’s ability to think things through. He did not realize that there are some people that aren’t born to conventional methods. This sure did kick the last leg out from under Macbeth’s not so sturdy table. Macbeth’s death shows that the witches were some bad dudes. Should they have been trusted? I guess so, but Macbeth’s actions were clearly traveling faster than his mind could think. Bad, bad witches they were.... Free Essays on MacBeth Macbeth Essay – Is Macbeth A Tragic Hero Tragic Hero – Someone who by a weakness of character brings about their own downfall. By this definition Macbeth is a tragic hero. It is Macbeth’ s ‘vaulting ambition’ that lead him to his downfall. It clouds his judgement and eventually he grows into a evil and cruel man who doesn’t care if he kills anyone. At the start of the play we hear about how noble and brave Macbeth is. In the next scene Macbeth meets the witches who give him the prophecies. Then when the first of these comes true and Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth is shocked. His mind soon turns to murder but at this moment in the he is repelled by the idea and will not interfere with fate. ‘If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, without my stir’. But later, when Macbeth hears that the Malcolm is named as the heir to the throne, Macbeth's thoughts turn to Murder again because he now thinks that he should be king. ‘The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step, which I must fall down or else o-er- leap, For it lies in my way. Star’s hide your fires! Let light not see my deep and dark desires’. This shows that aspiration to become king clouds his judgement and he eventually kills King Duncan. Macbeth's ambitions also turn him against his best friend. Banquo knows how ambitious Macbeth is and ends up suspecting that he murdered Kind Duncan: ‘Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, as the weird women promis’d; and, I fear, Thou play’dst most foully for’t’ When Macbeth becomes king he realises that the witches prophecies about Banquo might also come true: When they first put the name of king on me, and bade speak to ;then prophet- like, They’d hailed him father to a line of kings, Upon my head they’d placed a fruitless crown. He convinces the two murders that Banquo was their enemy and sends them to kill Banquo and Fleance. Ambition also tore apa... Free Essays on Macbeth MacBeth A tragedy is a literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw and a moral weakness. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is an example of such work. In this drama we discover that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are, in fact, tragic characters in that they suffer to a greater extent than their misdeeds and their ultimate come to ruin and complete destruction further defines them as tragic figures. A prosperous and powerful warrior, Macbeth was respected by soldiers and commoners alike. King Duncan of Scotland, Macbeth’s brother, highly valued and appreciated Macbeth’s fearless warfare accomplishments. Duncan expressed gratitude by honoring his brother with the Thane of Cawdor and saying â€Å"more is thy due than more than all can pay†(1.4, line 24). Despite this, Macbeth became incredibly ambitious to become king when he discovered that King Duncan named his eldest son, Malcolm, the heir to the crown of Scotland. This envy lead Macbeth along with his wife, Lady Macbeth, to attempt to â€Å"o’erleap† Duncan’s appointment of the next king by committing numerous of dreadful murders. Although Macbeth reaches his objective, he is thrown into pool of insecurity, guilt, and paranoia. Lady Macbeth, Macbeth’s â€Å"dearest partner of greatness†(1.5, line 11), has greater ambition and desire to make her husband king. The play illustrates that although they both think of murdering King Duncan as soon as they hear the witches' prophecies, Macbeth thinks more about what he may or may not do, whereas Lady Macbeth immediately appeals to evil spirits to give her the strength to kill Duncan. Upon Macbeth refusal to proceed with the plan Lady Macbeth pressures her husband to commit the murder and states: â€Å"and live a coward in thine own esteem†(1.7, line 47). After the assassination of Duncan is complete, Lady Macbeth acquires the highest position ... Free Essays on Macbeth In MacBeth, William Shakespeare sets the mood of the entire play with extraordinary occurrences in the natural world. They signify the dark, cold and demented manner of MacBeth’s killing spree. From the thunder and lightning that accompany the three witches’ appearances to the terrible storms that follow the murders of King Duncan and Banquo. The supernatural occurrences reflect a break in the Chain of Being, the corruption in the moral and political orders that are considered unimaginable. Therefore, the supernatural occurrences in the natural world order are most severe and unsettling when that Chain of Being is broken. The three witches are an unnatural phenomenon and are directly related to the supernatural occurrences, this reflects their link to an unsettled and chaotic natural world. The sense of violence and foreboding that is evoked by the unnatural imagines create an aura of darkness, deception, and horror seen throughout MacBeth. The darkness creates th e image of horror with the deaths’ of King Duncan and Banquo at night or in darkness, and the second meeting with the three witches in a dark place shows the horror yet to come. The unnatural scenes in MacBeth are central to the foreshadowing of what is to come of MacBeth’s actions. The first three scenes establish a dark, gloomy mood that permeates the entire play. The play begins with a storm, and the supernatural forces immediately appear in the form of the three witches. The three witches are wicked and sinister, and whenever they appear the play links them to unease and lurking chaos in the natural world by insisting on thunder or thunder and lightning. The first witch says, â€Å"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?† This gives the impression that whenever there is thunder, lightning, or rain that the witches are lurking in the â€Å"fog and filthy air† (I.i.13). In his description of MacBeth and Banquo’s heroics th... Free Essays on Macbeth Macbeth- - God or a Power-hungry Mortal? â€Å"†¦I go and it is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell That summons thee to heaven, or to hell.† (II, i, 71-73) â€Å"†¦It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight, If it find heaven, must find it out tonight.† (III, i, 157-158) â€Å"†¦Only for them, and mine eternal jewel Given to the common enemy of man To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings! Rather than so, come, Fate, into the list, And champion me to the utterance! Who’s there?† (III, i, 72-76) In the first passage, Macbeth was preparing to kill King Duncan. The toll of the bell was a signal used in order to show Macbeth that she had taken care of the guards and the coast was clear to kill Duncan. As he neared Duncan’s room, he silently prayed that Duncan wouldn’t hear the bell, for it was an omen for his death. Even worse, Duncan lead an innocent life, yet Macbeth still wondered whether Duncan would go to heaven or hell. In the second passage, he once again wondered whether his innocent friend would go to heaven or hell, once again playing god. In the third passage listed above, Macbeth acted very selfish. He explained why he didn’t want to give up a throne that he worked so hard for, up to children that weren’t even of his blood. The reason he was expecting the children that weren’t of his blood was because it was prophesized by the witches. In response, he decided to defy fate so that it wouldn’t interrupt his vaulting ambition. These passages show how power-hungry Macbeth was, obviously revealing that he felt that he was equal to God. First, he judged people for where they would be in the afterlife, even though it was God’s duty, and only God’s duty. Macbeth had absolutely no right and not even close to enough power to assume God’s responsibility. He had enough audacity to do this not only once, but twice. Another time that Macbeth w... Free Essays on Macbeth Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a very dark play. The first of the play introduces readers to the importance of darkness. Throughout the play most key events occur at night, often in dark and gloomy places. I think the â€Å"darkness† in the play was used to make the plot more interesting. The very first scene takes place in the middle of a thunderstorm. The three witches are calling to each other through the storm, and preparing to meet Macbeth. The witches create a dark force over the play. Shakespeare used nature as darkness. Nature behaves in frightening and strange ways in the play. In the first act, Lady Macbeth reads a letter that Macbeth wrote her. He tells her in the letter that he is now the thane of Cawdor. Then, the messenger tells Lady Macbeth that king Duncan is coming to her castle. At that point, Lady Macbeth invites â€Å"darkness† and evil to come live in her. She wants Macbeth to kill Duncan, so he can become the kind of Scotland. Macbeth tells her no, that he can’t kill Duncan, because he has been good to him. The â€Å"darkness† and evil inside of her persuades Macbeth to go through with her plan and kill Duncan. The â€Å"darkness† starts to take over Macbeth. In the second act, Macbeth sees a dagger in front of him, with the handle turned toward his hand. He can see it, but he can’t touch it. The dagger guides Macbeth to Duncan’s room. Duncan is asleep, and his servants are drunk, because Lady Macbeth drugged their wine. Macbeth kills Duncan with the daggers. Then, he comes down with the daggers still in his hands. Macbeth is in shock with what he has just done. The â€Å"darkness† inside him overpowered the goodness. Lady Macbeth takes the daggers from him, to go smear the servants with the blood, so it appears that they killed Duncan. Macbeth doesn’t know what is happening to him. He is terrified about what he just did. Then someone knocks at the door. Lady Macbeth tells him they need to go change cloths an... Free Essays on Macbeth â€Å"Cowards die many times before their death.† Macbeth displayed many noticeable characteristics throughout Shakespeare’s play of the same name. He was courageous at times and cowardly at others. The most noticeable characteristic in Macbeth was his ambition throughout the play. He also seemed to be a moral coward as he depended on others more than himself to make decisions. His cowardly ambition soon lead to his tragic death at the end of the play. At the beginning of Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth was described very clearly as a hero. In the opening scenes he was very loyal to the king, and then grows very ambitious to be the king. This is shown in the quotation â€Å"If chance will have me king, why / chance may crown me / Without my stir.† His ambition to be king dissolved his good nature and morality. When Duncan arrives at Inverness, Macbeth controlled his ambition for the time being and thought very firmly on the plotting of Duncan’s murder. Lady Macbeth stated, â€Å"My hands are of your color; but I shame / To wear a heart so white.† MacBeth being called a coward changed his ambition, then soon after the murder was taking place. After the successful murder of Duncan, Macbeth entered a life of evil. Ambition was also clearly stated when he thought of killing his friend Banquo to protect the kingship. The witches’ predictions sent Macbeth into his own world where he could not be stopped on his way to becoming king. Macbeth overcame his personal matters to plot the death of the king. In the scene where the murder of Duncan is taking place, he shows he is a coward when he will not complete the successful murder by taking the daggers back and placing them with the guards. This also showed a sense of insecurity, as Macbeth seemed no longer confident in the success of the murder. Macbeth, who no longer needed any encouragement from Lady Macbeth, started to leave her to deploy his plans. The power of ... Free Essays on Macbeth Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw Every one has a character flaw. Some are more serious than others. For instance, some people pick their nose, while others drink milk directly from the carton. After a while a person’s character flaws will come back to haunt them. Shakespeare is a master at pointing out one’s character flaws and showing how those flaw bring down that person or society in general. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth he does just that. Macbeth is a tragic hero whose character flaws are ambition and avarice. The play opens with Macbeth, a popular noble who quells a military coup against the King of Scotland by a Scottish nobleman, Macdonwald. This is looked at by other nobles as and honorable deed. The King then gives Macbeth the late Macdonwald’s former title. In this instance ambition is a good thing: but alls to week for brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name (I ii 16). The king even said â€Å"O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman†(I ii 24). His ambition was use to do a good thing, but if you stop to think; would any of this happened had he not killed Macdonwald. In the next scene we see the witches doing things that witches like to do. Then enters Macbeth with Banquo. They spot the witches and Banquo insults them. The witches turn to Macbeth and tell him he will be king: All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter (I iii 50). That single line is what sparks Maspeth’s evil ambition. This is the also the point when Macbeth start to turn evil. The witches also tell Macbeth he will become Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth replies to all this: to be king stands not within the prospect of belief (I iii 75). At this point Macbeth is skeptical, but then Ross tells him he is thane of Cawdor. Macbeth starts to believe he can become king. He is now successor to the throne of Scotland. Since Macbeth is heir to the throne of Scotland, all he has to do is get rid of King Duncan. In scene IV Duncan names his son the Prince o... Free Essays on Macbeth Greed of One Man At the end of the play, Malcolm refers to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as: â€Å"Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen† (Act V Scene VII line 69), consider the accuracy of Malcolm's judgment by reference to their speeches and actions throughout the play. In Malcolm's eyes, Macbeth is just a tyrannical murderer who snatched the throne away from him and his father and reigned a rule of terror in all of Scotland. Looking carefully from a different point-of-view, we see that Macbeth is driven by the powerful contradictions in his character. Unlike other villains, Macbeth does not enjoy doing evil; he has not totally renounced the idea of morality, although it is apparent that his ambition is stronger than his conscience. At first, Macbeth had the itch to be king, but he did not have the will to scratch it. We can see that Macbeth is not a cold-blooded monster in that the very idea of killing Duncan horrifies him, and in Act II he tries to tell Lady Macbeth that he will not go through with the murder. The character of Lady Macbeth is therefore required to provide Macbeth with the extra will power to fulfill his royal ambitions. Macbeth is almost 'forced' by Lady Macbeth to murder Duncan. After committing the murder, Macbeth seems almost delirious and he says, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand" (Act II Scene III Lines 59-60). We can already see that he is sorry for what he has done. When Macbeth orders Banquo's murder, he is still in torment, but the cause of his anguish seems to have been changed. He is afraid of Banquo, because Banquo knows about the witches and their predictions of his descendants being kings. Banquo's death, he says, will put his mind at rest. Banqu o's murder, he figures, will serve as an aspirin to his aches and pains. We are never told how Macbeth feels about the murder of Macduff's wife and children. Their killing gains him nothing. He has good reason to fear Ma... Free Essays on Macbeth Bloody Macbeth The story â€Å"The Tragedy of Macbeth† by William Shakespeare begins in a mythical way. It first scene is an open place in Scotland where three witches have met. They tell the main character Macbeth that he will become king. This weighs on his mind, and he kills the present reigning king, Duncan. He becomes king, and many people become suspicious of him. An uprising is held against him where he is killed, and the son of King Duncan is crowned. The many conflicts in the story lead to the frequent use of blood. The use of blood adds to the effect of the story. Lady Macbeth speaking of blood after she learns she will be queen adds to the effect of the story. After the witches tell Macbeth he will be crowned at the first of the story, he writes a letter to his wife, telling her what he has heard. She begins to see that she has the chance to become the Queen of Scotland, and she must do anything possible to make it happen. She realizes that she must change as a person in order to do the things needed to become Queen. She begins to speak of herself, and the changes she must undergo to become the cruel person she needs to. She wants her blood to thicken to make her more cold-hearted, â€Å"Make thick my blood, Stop up the access and passage to remorse.† Act I, sceneV, lines 43-44. This adds to the intensity of the story, by making it clear she wants to become different in any way needed in order to become. If the changing of the very blood of her body is necessary, then she is prepared for it to change, which strengthens the effect of the story. The blood mentioned in the plans to kill Duncan add the effect of the murder. Lady Macbeth is very intent on becoming Queen. She and Macbeth make a plan of how they will kill King Duncan. They plan to kill him in his own chamber, with the daggers of his to guards, after the guards have been drugged. When the king is dead, and the guards... Free Essays on Macbeth Macbeth Essay: Many Feel Lady Macbeth is to Blame for Macbeth ¡Ã‚ ¦s Failure, Agree or Disagree? Lady Macbeth was not to blame for Macbeth ¡Ã‚ ¦s failure in this tragedy because it was Macbeth ¡Ã‚ ¦s ambition which leaded him to his downfall instead of Lady Macbeth ¡Ã‚ ¦s persuasion, nobody could force anyone to do anything which he didn ¡Ã‚ ¦t want to unless Macbeth himself really wanted to do so and also, Lady Macbeth felt guilty and regretted at the end to show her human kindness, but Macbeth didn ¡Ã‚ ¦t. At the beginning of the story we learned that Macbeth was a very superstition person who believed in the prophecies of the evil witches. He was also a person full of ambition who wanted to take over the kingship of King Duncan. Those two characteristics were the main concern of his failure. Lady Macbeth had never met or known anything about the witches because Macbeth had never mentioned it before. So Lady Macbeth was not involved in Macbeth ¡Ã‚ ¦s  ¡Ã‚ §evil plan ¡Ã‚ ¨. Before we had met Lady Macbeth in the play, we had already known that Macbeth had the thinking of taking over the kingship from Duncan. This showed that to murder Duncan was not suggested by Lady Macbeth but, instead, Macbeth was the one who came up with this idea first. Later on, Macbeth decided to kill Banquo as well as Macduff ¡Ã‚ ¦s family. Lady Macbeth never known that Macbeth had became such a ruthless person. She didn ¡Ã‚ ¦t persuade Macbeth to do these murders so we couldn ¡Ã‚ ¦t blame on her. On the other hand, I believed that nobody could force anyone to do something unless the person himself really wanted to do so. Even through Lady Macbeth had persuaded Macbeth to kill Duncan but she never do anything to force him. She only accused Macbeth of his inconstancy, cowardice and unmanliness. It was Macbeth who couldn ¡Ã‚ ¦t stand the accusation and decided to do something wrong. Macbeth ¡Ã‚ ¦s lack of loyalty and patriotism was the main causes of his murder to Dun... Free Essays on MacBeth In reading Shakespeare’’s well-known play, Macbeth, one will always notice the many influences that Macbeth encounters before his downfall. Each one of these may have had some bit of impact on the final outcome. The three most controversial and popular causes of the tragedy of Macbeth are the main character’’s ambition, the witches’’ fateful prophecies, and Lady Macbeth’’s dominance. Each one of these can be argued as the main source of influence on Macbeth for murdering so many people. Some people would argue that the main source causing this tragedy was his wife, Lady Macbeth. However, this would not support all of the events that took place in Macbeth. Other people might argue that Macbeth’’s own, personal ambition is what led to the bloody death of so many people, but in this case, it is obvious that there was some other force behind him that helped him to change from a respectable, trustworthy man, to a deceiv ing murderer. In his encounters with the witches, Macbeth was introduced to that fact that he could have more power, and in hearing what he had to do to earn it, he was scared. However, with the witches making this power sound so grand, he was eventually convinced that his dignity was no longer essential. The witches, therefore, were what caused the legacy of Macbeth as a heroic individual to lead to his ultimate death and destruction. In the play, there are many interesting sections that concentrate on the suspense and the involvement of the supernatural. With the sense of the supernatural and interference of the spirits, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are led to dangerous, tempting things. The three witches are introduced right at the beginning of the play, on Macbeth’’s way home from fighting in the battle for his country. They recount to Macbeth three prophecies. The first is that he will become the Thane of Cawdor, the second is the Thane of Glamis, which he already was titled as, and the third was sta...