The Downfall of Macbeth
By: Haley Ohrenberg
Who is to Blame
The Witches are to blame for the downfall of Macbeth. The Witches are to blame because they told Macbeth that he could never be defeated, that he win another major award, and that he will become king someday. First, the Witches told him, "All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis,"(Shakespeare 17). This is saying that Macbeth will get another award. He has already gotten the Thane of Cawdor. Next, the Witches say, "The pow'r of man, for none of women born shall harm Macbeth,"(Shakespeare 121). The Witches are telling Macbeth that he can't be beaten by anyone not born of a women. Which everybody is, so he can't be beaten by anyone in the world. But Macduff comes to him at the end of the play and says, "Macduff was from his mother's womb untimely ripped," (Shakespeare 181). This means that Macduff was surgically removed from his mother, and his mother didn't give birth to him. Which means that he can defeat Macbeth because he wasn't born of a women. This is why Macduff cuts off Macbeth's head, so he would be king. The Witches lied to Macbeth, and made him think different things, than what is really true. This is why the Witches are to blame for the downfall of Macbeth.
Literacy Devices
Dramatic Irony- "Against those honors deep and broad wherewith Your Majesty loads our house,"(Shakespeare 39). Because Lady Macbeth's behavior toward King Duncan is a fake cheerful wife, this is a form of dramatic irony. We know Lady Macbeth is faking it, but King Duncan thinks she's happy to see him.
Foreshadowing- "Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready, she strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed,"(Shakespeare 49). Because Macbeth is getting ready to kill King Duncan but Banquo found him walking in the halls at night and started talking to him, this is a form of foreshadowing. Banquo suspects Macbeth's intentions because he knows why he's up so late and can tell the difference in his behavior.
Comic Relief- "Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep and urine,"(Shakespeare 61). Because the Porter is drunk and acting stupid, talking to Macduff, this is a form of comic relief. The Porter is telling him that "drink" paints your nose red and makes you pee.
Piece of Art
Although people believe this is a painting of three witches pointing at nothing, this is actually a connection to whom is to blame for the downfall of Macbeth. In the play, the Witches were messing with Macbeth about him becoming king. Toward the end of the play, Macbeth is convinced that he can never be overpowered by any man born of a woman, but Macduff reveals that he "...was from his mother's womb untimely ripped" (Shakespeare 181). Because of the Witches, Macbeth has over self confidence and believes what the Witches had said, which was that he could never be beaten by anyone born of a woman. This is causing Macbeth to fight Macduff thinking that he is born of a woman. During this fight, this causes Macbeth to have a false sense of security and gets killed.
Christian Bautista - I'm Already King - Lyrics HQ / HD
Lyrics to (I'm Already King
And go higher and higher again
And go higher and higher again
Im already king...
Im already king...
Read more: Christian Bautista - I'm Already King Lyrics | MetroLyrics
Because the song, "I'm Already King", talks about thinking that your already king, this is related to who is to blame of Macbeth's downfall. Macbeth was told by the Witches, "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!" (Shakespeare 19). Which is saying that he will soon become king, and this made him think that he would do anything to become king. In the song it says to go higher, which means that you need to get above everyone to become king. This is exactly what Macbeth did, he made his way through the people that were in his way to become king and killed them, to make sure that he is going to become. This is all happening because of what the Witches had said.