Macbeth’s Responsibility

MACBETH ESSAY

TOPIC: Macbeth has only himself to blame for his downfall; he chose evil again and again. Discuss.

Macbeth, although initially virtuous and patriotic, constantly chooses morally reprehensible actions in an attempt to satisfy his ambition, ultimately resulting in his demise. Macbeth’s decadence is portrayed through his murder of Duncan, and later it is through his arrangement that both Banquo and the lineage of Macduff are killed. However, responsibility for the actions of Macbeth also lies partially with other character, primarily the Weird Sister and Lady Macbeth, who incite his ambition.

Macbeth’s treason in murdering Duncan is blatantly an erroneous choice. Macbeth initially rationalises his choices, reasoning that “If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me / Without my stir” [1:III:142-143], and that it would be unseemly to assassinate Duncan “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.” [1:VII: 13-15]. He also realises that “He (Duncan) hath honour’d me of late” [1:VII: 32], generosity which defies his morale conscience in killing Duncan. All rationales for not murdering Duncan are sound; yet Macbeth eventually opts to kill Duncan in order to satisfy his “…black and deep desire” [1:V:51] of gaining kingship. Macbeth had many opportunities to choose another path, but he abided by the dagger which “…marshall’st me the way I was going” [2:I:42], a representation and foreshadowing of the violent and bloody path he would later ‘build’ his kingdom on. Although Macbeth recognises “the consequence” [1:VII: 3] which would follow after murdering Duncan, he ignores such risks. Later in the play, it is the cumulative effect of such recklessness and consequences which leads to his downfall. After the murder, Macbeth believes that that “…all great Neptune’s ocean (will not) wash this blood / Clean from my hand” [2:II:63-64], indicative of a dawning realisation that he had chosen the wrong path. The pivotal choice Macbeth makes of murdering Duncan marks the beginning of his bloodthirsty slaughter of many and prefigures the choices he makes later on.

Macbeth’s atrocious murder of Banquo and Macduff’s lineage in order to seal his kingship evidently contradicts the values of humanity. Macbeth believes that “To be thus is nothing, / But to be safely thus” [3:I:49-50], and thus arranges for the assassination of both Banquo and Fleance. Indirectly, it is because of this that he feels “…bound in / To saucy doubts and fears” [3:IV:24-25], as the attempt on Fleance’s life is unsuccessful. Due to the overwhelming guilt and pressure Macbeth feels, he sees the ghost of Banquo, and his reaction inevitably places suspicion upon him. Macbeth’s startled response is weakly concealed by his toast “….to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss” [3:IV:90]. These hints of heinous crimes given to the nobles certainly constitute their reason for breaking lord and liege bonds with Macbeth. Macbeth’s cruel, inhumane slaughter of Macduff’s household is perhaps the main reason for Macbeth’s downfall. He reasons that “…I am in blood / Stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more, / Returning were tedious as go o’er” [3:V:137-138], clearly distinguishing the choice he makes to go forth in his elimination of potential threats to his kingship. Macbeth’s determination in committing this atrocity starkly contrasts the virtuosity he displayed before murdering Duncan. Inadvertently, his responsibility for the slaughter of Macduff’s household leads Macduff to “…let grief / Convert to anger” [4:III:27-28], compelling him to kill Macbeth with a “stroke of mine” [5:VII:16]. Macbeth’s murder of Banquo indirectly gives grounds to any suspicions the nobles may have had regarding Macbeth’s use of power, and Macbeth’s murder of Macduff’s household leads to Macduff killing him in vengeance. It is the cumulative consequences of such brutal murders that eventuate in Macbeth’s downfall.

However, Macbeth’s poor choice of actions cannot wholly be attributed to him; surely the Weird Sisters and Lady Macbeth are at fault for the influence