The Weird Sisters and Lady Macbeth influenced Macbeth’s downfall, however it is Macbeth that is primarily at fault for allowing himself to be overcome by his greedy ambitions. The witches manipulated Macbeth by feeding his ambitions and Lady Macbeth helps Macbeth learn to answer to nothing but his own greed for power. It is however, Macbeth that caves to his curiosity and hamartia and demands the witches to tell him more about his future, even after they warned him. It was Macbeth not Lady Macbeth who organized the murder of Banquo and his son in order to secure himself and his power. The witches and his wife only spoke the thoughts that Macbeth already had in his mind, it was Macbeth who doomed himself when he decided that, “For mine own good / All causes shall give way” (line 166-167, Act3, Scene 4).

Combination of Macbeth's ambition, and the Witches power over him

 Macbeth’s disintegration was due to a combination of his hamartia, and the Weird sisters / Lady Macbeth’s influence on his actions. As the play begins Macbeth is introduced as a brave and loyal soldier. Though he has ambitions they are hardly apparent, as one focuses on his overwhelming eagerness to be loyal to his friends. However, when Macbeth hears the prophecies of the Weird sisters, everything goes array. Initially after hearing the prophecies Macbeth is curious but at the same time unwilling to believe. Though, when the prophecies begin to come true Macbeth’s hand is somewhat forced as he believes that he has little choice in the matter of becoming King. He is ambitious and does desire to be king, however he continually mentions that he is a friend to King Duncan and that all is good in the world with him leading Scotland. It is the role of Lady Macbeth to push Macbeth into doing something he would have never done on his own. The Weird sisters play the vital role in planting the ideas of what could be, in Macbeth’s mind, and Lady Macbeth is important as her actions and influence on Macbeth cause him to take a path that in turn leads to his demise. The prophecies were destined to come true, however, who is to say that if Macbeth had not been pushed to kill Duncan that they would have not. If the outside forces had not convinced Macbeth to kill Duncan, Duncan could have died naturally and Macbeth could have been a good king rather than a tyrant overrun by guilt and a fear of falling as King Duncan had. Once Macbeth kills King Duncan he causes his own disintegration, as he doesn’t stop there, the lure of power causes him to continue to murder any who oppose him. He becomes so power hungry and overrun by guilt that he begins to go insane. As well, when he again turns to the Weird Sisters they manipulate him into believing that he is invincible. It is because of their second set of prophecies that he is ultimately killed however this is both because they “trick” him by stating what seems impossible, and because Macbeth is so overrun by power that his ambitions to be not only king, but indeed invincible, take over. As most have said, Macbeth’s downward spiral is caused by both the Weird Sister’s “trickery” and Macbeth's tragic flaw of ambition.

Used Homework Pass à due sometime Saturday

Macbeth is Responsible

Macbeth’s ultimate downfall is brought about by his all-consuming and debilitating hamartia: ambition. While the witches manipulated Macbeth, by enticing him with a tantalizing possibility of great power and later making him feel overconfident and invincible, they only nourished the seeds of ruthless ambition that already existed in his mind. Lady Macbeth was perhaps the most dangerously malevolent force in his life, encouraging him to commit acts of great treachery, and fanning the flames of his lust for power. Despite his wife’s amoral influence, and his initial reluctance, it was Macbeth, and Macbeth alone, who carried out the first and perhaps most difficult murder of Duncan that led to further acts of deceit and betrayal. 

Macbeth’s Ambition is on a Slippery Slope

In Act I, Macbeth is a strong hero and everyone respects him for his success on the battlefield. Yet, under the outside influence of the three Weird Sisters and Lady Macbeth, the dark side of Macbeth’s ambition reveals itself. His ambition was once controlled and positive. However under evil influences, his noble aspect is weakened and he allows his ambition to take over. For instance, in Act I Scene ii a soldier says that “brave Macbeth” fought with “valour” and that Macbeth did so, “disdaining fortune”. In the other words, Macbeth fought out of courage not out of ambition. On the other hand, when Macbeth decides to kill Banquo and his son, he is motivated by his peer ambition. He decides that he does not want Banquo and his child to become kings. “Rather than so, come, fate, into the list, And champion me to the utterance!” (Act III Scene I Line75) In another word, where once Macbeth killed other people on the battlefield as an act of courage, he is now killing other individuals out of his ambition.

Macbeth is Crazy. Just crazy.

I found it strange that a man like macbeth could be suddenly consumed by power and a thirst to rule. Although I think this was by fault of himself and not the witches prophecies. I think he became obsessed with fulfilling his supposed 'destiny' that he lost all regard for reality.

I'm still wondering, 

would the prophecies have come true without initiative of Macbeth?  

'Vaulting Ambition" (I,ii)

Hello English 10 students,

As we watch Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and his court disintegrate, the question stands:

Did Macbeth bring this upon himself due to his 'hamartia' of ambition, or was he just a pawn of the Weird Sisters? 

Please respond to this in a fully articulate 3-5 sentence paragraph on this blog, responding to each other and to the text. Please complete this by Friday, May 29th. Then, we will have one more blog post due Thurs. June 4th, on a topic to be announced. These are our last two writing tasks in this course, outside of English 10 Provincial Exam practice. 

Happy Writing,

Ms M.