King Duncan was a virtuous leader, and his inferiors served through love. Yet when he crowned his eldest son, Malcolm, as Prince of Cumberland, the concoction of evil intent the witches had brewed and absorbed into Macbeth had its most lethal ingredient; a catalyst that assured reaction, and cultivated a complete abandonment of Macbeth's previous, honourable life, in favour of a selfish, bloody one. "The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step I must fall down, or else o'er leap,

For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;

Let not light see my black and deep desires."

Reason, upon a session of auto-interrogation, seemed to briefly return to Macbeth. "We but teach bloody instructions, which, being taught, return t

The deviousness of the witches' prophecies was becoming apparent. A force led by Malcolm and Macduff was approaching Dunsinane prepared for battle, but they were under the guise of hundreds of lumbered trees, from none other than Birnam Wood. Great Birnam Wood was coming to high Dunsinane Hill. By this time, Macbeth realized that there was no chance of an outcome without a war. He was sick at heart. He had finally reached the position that he had so wanted; yet it no longer was valuable to him. He had betrayed everybody, and his tyrannous rule gave him no satisfaction. The imminent battle would be the climax to a good life turned evil. Questioning the objective of life itself -

Having little to lose, Macbeth, in the final display of his brilliant swordsmanship fought all who challenged. Young Siward, with all his resolution and black, ugly hate for Macbeth, was slain in his attempt, because he was, of course, of woman born. Macduff was the only man who could claim not to be so, and fought Macbeth in the ultimate battle, armed with a sword hardened by the souls of his slain family, and sharpened by the witches' evil desires. Such a combination was invincible, and Macbeth's life was over. The glory and celebration Macbeth so nearly destroyed the kingdom for, united it once more under the rightful crown of Malcolm, eldest son of Duncan.

Banquo's warning had borne out in its entirety,

The moment Macbeth killed Duncan, the extents of what he had done hit him. He had killed the King of Scotland, who had, with all his virtue, done nothing but good for the country. Duncan had honoured him with the title of Thane of Cawdor, on top of his already being Thane of Glamis. So devastated was Macbeth, that the daggers he used to kill Duncan were still in his hands when he met his anxious wife. He spoke of voices within his mind, "List'ning their fear, I could not say 'Amen', when they did say "God bless us!" He could not even bring himself to take the daggers back. "I'll go no more. I am afraid of what I have done; Look on't again I dare not." Macbeth's conscience then, at least, was righteous, but it was easily overcome by his natural urge and aptitude for domination and power. He was a deadly and enviable warrior, capable of leading whole armies. In fact, it was for those reasons that he became Thane of Cawdor. He was aware of his potential, but saw that there was no conceivable road for him to the ultimate position of leadership. When Malcolm was named Prince of Cumberland, surely there was no other way the three witches' prophecy could come true, without his own intervention.

Shortly after the completion of the deed, Macduff and Lennox arrived at Dunsinane, with intentions of waking their King from his sleep, unaware of its permanence. Soon they found him dead in his quarters, and the alarm bells ar

Some common words found in the essay are:
Lady Macbeth, Hill Macbeth, King Macbeth, Prince Cumberland, Thane Glamis, Duncan Lennox, Thane Cawdor, Dunsinane Hill, , England Ireland, lady macbeth, banquo's warning, prince cumberland, birnam wood, woman born, thane cawdor, macbeth king, witches' evil desires, dunsinane hill, coming dunsinane, son fleance, daggers kill duncan, macduff woman born,
Approximate Word count = 1899
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)