FREE ESSAY ON MACBETH

MACBETH

The witches could foretell the future, they can add temptation, and influence Macbeth, but
they could not control his destiny. Macbeth created his own misery when he kills people.
This causes him to become insecure, because of the reasons for his actions, which in turn
causes him to commit more murders. The witches give great enticement, but in the end,
it's Macbeth's decision to fall for the temptation. The three Witches are only
responsible for introducing the ideas to Macbeth, and putting the ideas in his head, but
they are not responsible for his actions throughout the play. However it's more realistic
to believe that Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's ambition, and his own responsibilities ended it
for him, not the witches. Lady Macbeth is shown early as an ambitious woman who can
manipulate Macbeth easily. This is shown in the line That I may pour my spirits in thine
ear(I,V,26). She is selfless, and wants what is best for her husband. Before the speech
that Lady Macbeth gives in act one scene five, Macbeth does not want to go through with
the killing of the king. She manipulates Macbeth's self-esteem by playing on his
manliness and his bravery. Macbeth has the final say in whether or not to go through with
the killing, but he loves Lady Macbeth and wants to make her happy. Lady Macbeth is the
dominating individual in the relationship. It seems that she can convince him to do
anything as long as she pushes the right buttons. Macbeth's ambition is present before
the witch's prophesies. He would never have thought seriously about killing Duncan
without the witches. But the combination of his ambitious and the witch's prophecies
leads him to kill the king. Lady Macbeth even says,Thou wouldst be great/ Art not without
ambition.(I,V,80-81). Macbeth also says, his besetting sin: I have no spur/ To prick the
sides of my intent, but only/ Vaulting ambition. Macbeth's ambition is shown while he
waits to have a succession of kings after him. Macbeth has a lot of ambition in him and
because of this, both the witches and Lady Macbeth are able to make him evil. It is this
ambition that gets him into so much trouble not the witches. Once Macbeth kills for the
first time, he has to cover up his wrong doings, or risk loosing everything he has worked
so hard for. In the end, it all comes to Macbeth himself. Everyone is responsible for his
own destiny. This is what I think the theme is in this tragedy. Macbeth chooses to gamble
with his life and when he does this, it is only him who chooses to lose it. He is
responsible for everything he does and must take responsibility for his actions. Macbeth
is the one who made the final decision to carry out his actions. He made these final
decisions and continued with the killings to cover the murder of King Duncan. The killing
of Duncan starts an unstoppable chain of events in the play that ends with the murder of
Macbeth and the suicide of Lady Macbeth. While the witches are not totally responsible
for the actions of Macbeth, they are responsible for introducing the ideas to Macbeth.
Macbeth's ambition led to the deadly chain of events. The witches never had any real
power to affect the future in the play. It was Macbeth all along who ended it for
himself.