The Blame in Macbeth

By Marcus Phung, Student

an analytical essay by a student

An essay hosted at LiteratureClassics.com

The great Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth is a tale of deceit and treachery. One of Shakespeare's shortest plays, it is also one of his finest. The tragedy is about a Scottish Thane, Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, who, seemingly according to a prophecy of witches, becomes Thane of Cawdor, and King (King through treachery of course). And because Macbeth has gained his throne through treacherous ways, he loses it, just as soon as he gains it. Who or what brought about the downfall of Macbeth? It could be a combination of many people, Macbeth himself, Lady Macbeth and the witches. Where does the blame really lie? In my opinion, the blame is not with one of them, but with all of them.

Enter the first act, second scene. We see good King Duncan and his Thanes, talk about the outcome of a war well won. All the men seem to praise good Macbeth. A first impression is made that Macbeth is a good man, not a treacherous one.

""For brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name -""
1:2, 16

He receives the praise of his peers, and is well respected. What could turn a man like this to villainous ways? Only his own ambition, his own pride could have drawn him down the whole dark path. But something, or someone, must have egged him on.

""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!""
1:3, 57-59

Here we receive the prophecy of the Three Witches. Hailing Macbeth Thane of Glamis is nothing new. Macbeth is already Thane of Glamis. Macbeth has not yet heard of the treachery of the Thane of Cawdor, how he betrayed the Scottish folk (as stated earlier in the Act), and thus does not expect to be hailed Thane of Cawdor. Hailing Macbeth as king, is a totally different thing. How could he be king? They already had one, to speak of him replacing the king was to commit the highest treason in the kingdom. And yet the witches spoke the prophecy. At first Macbeth does not believe. And then ...

""He bade me from him call thee Thane of Cawdor""
1:3, 104

Ross tells Macbeth that Duncan has told him to greet him as Thane of Cawdor, thus effectively bestowing upon Macbeth the lands of Cawdor, and fulfilling the first part of the witches' prophecy. By this happening, it makes Macbeth believe that the prophecy is becoming true, that he is destined to become King of the Scots.

""If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me
Without my stir.""
1:3, 143-144
Macbeth is totally enrapt with the idea that he may become King of all Scotland. Herein lies the blame for the witches. If they had not given the prophecy to Macbeth, he would not have wanted to become King. Before the witching encounter, he was perfectly happy with his current life. Thane of Glamis, a good wife, great battles to behold. One word from the witches, and *bam*, he's caught. He instantly has higher thoughts of himself. He looks at the greater glories which he supposedly could behold. So, the blame can be laid on the witches. If it was not for their prophecy concerning Macbeth's good fortune, Macbeth would never have fallen.

The witches also gave a second oracle, when Macbeth came to see them again. This was after Macbeth had 'fallen from the light.'

""By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.
Open, locks, whoever knocks!""
4:1, 44-46

Here we have an acknowledgement by the witches that Macbeth has indeed turned to evil. It is proof that Macbeth has fallen from the light, as evil acknowledges evil.

""The power of man; for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth.""
4:1, 79-80

This oracle boosts Macbeth's arrogance and ambition. He misinterperets the oracle and takes it to mean that nobody can kill him. This proves to be a major part of Macbeth's undoing. As his arrogance doubles, so does his courage, and that his what brings about his death. Again, partly this is blame goes to the witches, for giving an oracle which could be interpereted more ways than one.

Also to blame is Lady Macbeth, the wife of the fallen. She knows the prophecies and the ambition of her husband. She is ambitious as well, not ambitious for herself, but rather ambitious for her husband.

""Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here
And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood;
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctions visitings of nature
Sgake my fell purpose,""
1:5, 39-44

Here Lady Macbeth calls to the spirits to give her courage where she fears her husband has none. She hopes to have the courage to support him and push him towards attaining his dreams and goals.
Blame falls to Lady Macbeth as she is the one who pushes Macbeth to murder Duncan. He is doubtful at the beginning and remorseful as he reflects that Duncan has been a good king, but Lady Macbeth pushes him to do the deed. Blame on Lady Macbeth can only go so far though, as she has only pushed him to do the first and most crucial part, killing King Duncan. From then on, all that leads Macbeth to darkness can only be himself. In the end, Lady Macbeth is wrought with guilt, whereas Macbeth is not, and she commits suicide to try and redeem herself.
The largest part of the blame, which can only be divided three ways, lies with Macbeth himself. True, without the witches' prophecy he would have never wished to claim the crown, and without Lady Macbeth's urging, he would never have commited the deed, but with Macbeth, the fallen, lies the majority of the blame. He himself commited the very deed, the murder of Duncan, while furthermore, without prompting from Lady Macbeth, him organises the murder of his friend Banquo, and the household of Macduff.

""We have scorched the snake, not killed it;""
3:2, 13

At this part we see the dark ambition of Macbeth rising. He will not stop until he has secured the throne for himself. His ambition is what brings about his downfall, his ambition, and his will to do anything to achieve his dream. He has scorched the snake, but he wants to bring it to the very end, he wishes to kill the snake, and make sure. Thus he plans the murder of Banquo.

""It is concluded! Banquo, thy soul's flight,
If it find heaven, must find it tonight.""
3:1, 140-141

Here Macbeth has plotted the death of Banquo, and is pleased that his 'friend' would soon be dead. This is done without any prompting at all from Lady Macbeth, and is only done because the witches has said that Banquo's descendants would be kings. Macbeth's ambition and jealousy at not being able to produce a line of kings, is to blame here.

""The castle of Macduff I will surprise,
Seize upon Fife, give to the edge o'the sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate sould
That trace him in his line.""
4:1, 149-152

Straight after the second prophecy, which warns him to beware the Thane of Fife, that is, Macduff, Lennox brings word that Macduff has fled to England. Angered, and the words from the prophecy that he has interpereted to mean that Macduff may thwart him fresh in his mind, Macbeth orders the household of Macduff slaughtered. When word of this reaches Macduff himself, he is truly convinced that Macbeth is evil, and rallies the armies of proud England to march against the sick Scotland. And thus, by destroying the Macduff household, Macbeth brings about his own downfall.

Closer to the time when the armies of England are nearing Dunsinane, where Macbeth's castle is, Macbeth seems remorseful. It seems that the darkness is once more turning towards the light, but still, Macbeth refuses to let anyone or anything thwart his reign, except his death.

""But get thee back; my soul is too much charged
With the blood of thine already.""
5:6, 45-46

Macbeth is confronted by Macduff, and he is remorseful that he has killed Macduff's household. But nevertheless the deed is done, and Macbeth can only blame himself for it.

""Turn, hellhound, turn!""
5:6, 43

Here we have another acknowldgement of Macbeth's evil, but this time not by evil, but by a man who once trusted Macbeth and thought him good, Macduff. This goes to show, how far Macbeth's ambition and dark deeds have poisoned others opinions of him. Those who thought him good now refer to him as a creature of hell, and thus of darkness. It was Macbeth's own deeds which led to his own bad reputation, and his downfall.


""I will not yield
To Kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet
And to be baited with the rabble's curse.
Though Birnan Wood be come to Dunsinane
And thou opposed, being of no woman born,
Yet I will try the last. Before my body
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff;
And damned be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'""
5:6, 67-73

Macbeth realises at the end, how far he has gone, and how he has misinterpereted the prophecies. He knows he has brought about his own end, but the courage he was praised for burns brightly, as a candle flickers brightly before it is put out, and he chooses to fight on, to defend what he has brought about, and dies a warrior's noble death. Thus, by choosing to go on fighting, he has again, brought about his own downfall.

Here we have written a classic tragedy. It is the story about a hero, who becomes a fallen hero. Who exactly brought about the downfall of Macbeth? The blame does not fully lie on one person, but on many. The witches made the prophecy, Macbeth believed in the prophecy, Lady Macbeth urged her husband to kill the King, Macbeth's ambition brought about his dark deeds. Though the blame can be laid on the witches, and on Lady Macbeth, it is none other than Macbeth to whom the major blame can be cast. The fallen hero's ambition was the fuel to his dark deeds. If he had not aspired to become king (which would not have happened if the witches had not spoken to Macbeth) he would not have killed the king. He plotted the murder of his friends and friend's family. Macbeth was not just a murderer. He was a traitor to the country, by even thinking of killing the king, he had commited the highest treason possible, besides killing the king himself, which he also did. Yes, the witches and Lady Macbeth can be blamed for Macbeth's downfall, but Macbeth must take the majority of the blame. It is his ambition which lead to his ultimate demise. The witches and Lady Macbeth helped to 'scorch the snake' but it was none other than Macbeth himself, with the courage given to him by becoming king, and fulfilling his ambition, that 'killed the snake.' It was Macbeth's own ambition, aided by Lady Macbeth and the witches, which led to him creating his own downfall. So be warned and be wary! Beware of witches, helpful wives, and most of all, of your own ambition.