Macbeth and the Cause of his Downfall

Everyone who is mortal has at least one flaw. Some are more serious than others. The

tragedy of Macbeth is no exception to this. In this play, William Shakespeare illustrates the

classical tragic hero pattern: a character regarded with the utmost admiration, devoted to an evil

villain, despised by all. Like most tragic heroes, Macbeth has hidden fatal flaws which

ultimately lead to his fall from grace. Influences from other characters play a role in his

downfall, but the greatest cause comes from his own actions and thoughts.

The first seeds of wickedness are planted in his mind by the tempting prophecies of the

witches and his promotion to Thane of Cawdor increases his appetite for furthermore

advancement. If it had not been for the witches telling him that he was to be the Thane of

Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and the King of Scotland, Macbeth perhaps would have remained

decent and content with his life. As a result of the prophecies, this stimulated Macbeth’s

curiosity of how he could be King of Scotland. Macbeth’s vulnerability to the witches is caused

by his corrupt desire, which moves him to take a false step. He starts to consider slaying the

. . .
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Approximate Word count = 1302
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)