Macbeth’s Downfall can be attributed to a number of factors. First and foremost, Macbeth is ambitious. His ambition leads him to make decisions that result in his downfall. Secondly, Macbeth is influenced by others around him, including his wife, Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth encourages Macbeth to kill Duncan in order to gain power. Finally, Macbeth is a victim of his own choices and actions. He makes a number of bad choices throughout the play that contribute to his downfall.
Macbeth puts his trust in the words and prophecies of three witches, believing them to be true, after a prediction that he will become Thane of Cawdor. Lady Macbeth serves as a key tool in Macbeth’s bid to be king, nagging him when he thinks he has gone too far with his plans for grandeur. We can clearly see how a well-respected and loyal Scottish soldier transforms into a bloodthirsty tyrant.
Macbeth’s flaws ultimately lead to his fall from power and eventually his death. Macbeth is too trusting, he believes in the words of the witches without any proof, letting his ambition get the best of him. He also commits several murders to maintain his power, which creates a negative reputation for himself and Macbeth starts to lose the trust of others.
Furthermore, Macbeth is paranoid about losing his position and title as King, which leads him to commit more murders. In addition, Macbeth does not learn from his mistakes, repeating them throughout the play, which further cements his downfall. We see Macbeth’s character flaw of vaulting ambition blind him to everything else but his goal to be king, which leads to his inevitable downfall.
Macbeth’s ambition is what drives him to kill Duncan and then Banquo, in order to fulfill the prophecy and become king. Macbeth does not want to wait for things to happen, he wants to make them happen. “That but this blow / Might be the be-all and the end-all!” (1.3.140-141). Macbeth’s ambition is what leads him down a dark path of destruction and death.
Lady Macbeth is also responsible for Macbeth’s downfall. She is the one who pushes Macbeth to kill Duncan, even though he is hesitant about going through with it. “When you durst do it, then you were a man; / And, to be more than what you were, you would / Be so much more the man” (1.7.49-51). Lady Macbeth is ambitious as well and wants Macbeth to fulfill the prophecy and become king. She continues to pressure Macbeth and is a key instrument in his downfall.
He has nowhere to run or hide from the consequences of his mistakes. His demise is absolute, and he is solely responsible for it. It’s all about him: his ambition, Lady Macbeth’s influence, the three witches’ prophecies, and lastly his false belief in his invulnerability. These factors all contribute to Macbeth’s moral fall as he ascends the corporate ladder of success.
Macbeth’s vaulting ambition drives him to kill Duncan, his King and benefactor, and Macbeth’s fatal flaw is that he underestimates the evil in himself. Lady Macbeth’s power of persuasion encourages Macbeth to commit regicide. The three witches prophesy Macbeth’s kingship which Macbeth believes. His misplaced confidence leads Macbeth to believe he is invincible. These reasons all contribute to Macbeth’s moral downfall and eventually his physical downfall and death.
Macbeth’s ambition is a key factor in his downfall. He allows his ambition to consume him and this ultimately leads to his demise. After the witches tell Macbeth that he will be king, Macbeth becomes obsessed with the idea and starts to believe it is his destiny. He becomes power hungry and this causes him to make rash decisions, such as killing Duncan. Macbeth is not content with being king of Scotland; he wants more power and he is willing to kill to get it. His ambition blinds him to the reality of his situation and he does not see that his actions will have consequences.
The influence of Lady Macbeth is also a significant factor in Macbeth’s downfall. Lady Macbeth is a very ambitious woman and she desires power for herself and her husband. She is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goals, even if it means committing murder. Lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to kill Duncan by preying on his ambition and his love for her. She tells Macbeth that he is not truly a man if he does not go through with the murder. Lady Macbeth’s manipulation and persuasion lead Macbeth to commit a heinous act which ultimately leads to his downfall.
The prophesies of the three witches also play a role in Macbeth’s downfall. When Macbeth hears the witches’ predictions, he immediately believes them. He does not question their motives or whether they are truly speaking the truth. Macbeth takes their words as gospel and this causes him to make some poor decisions.
For example, when Macbeth learns that Banquo’s sons will be kings, he fears that Banquo will try to take his throne. Macbeth becomes so paranoid that he has Banquo killed in an attempt to prevent the prophecy from coming true. These actions only serve to further Macbeth’s downfall as they lead to more death and destruction.
Lastly, Macbeth’s misplaced confidence contributes to his downfall. After Macbeth kills Duncan, he starts to believe that he is invincible and that no one can touch him. He becomes arrogant and overconfident which leads him to make careless mistakes. For instance, Macbeth does not plan for the possibility that Macduff might flee to England. This ultimately leads to Macduff’s army defeating Macbeth’s forces and killing Macbeth.
The emotional and social impact of a moral downfall as opposed to a physical one, which is referred to as a step back in society, including the loss of money, fortune, family, social life, and health. He basically destroys Macbeths morality by committing harmful deeds in order to attain his objective. Macbeth’s ambition and greed for more power is whateventually leads to his demise.
While Macbeth’s fatal flaw may be his ambition, there are several other factors that contribute to his downfall. For example, Macbeth is easily influenced by others, which leads him down a path of destruction. He is also very paranoid and insecure, always fearing that others will try to take away his power. In addition, Macbeth is blinded by his own ambition and does not see the consequences of his actions until it is too late. All of these factors contribute to Macbeth’s downfall, making him a tragic hero.
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the dominant motif is ambition. To be ambitious implies a strong or insistent desire to attain something, such as fame or authority. In Macbeth, ambition is a main topic. Hamartia is the flaw in Macbeth, the protagonist and tragic hero in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Macbeth’s hamartia is his tragic flaw: his ambition. Macbeth’s ambition leads him to his downfall. In Macbeth, the witches give Macbeth a false sense of security by telling Macbeth he is going to be king when in reality Macbeth will only be king for a short time before he gets overthrown and killed. The witches tell Macbeth that he is not going to be harmed by any man born of woman, which gives Macbeth a false sense of invincibility. This false sense of invincibility leads Macbeth to become cocky and overconfident.