According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of downfall is “a sudden loss of power, happiness, success, or something that causes failure”. Downfall is involved in William Shakespeare’s notorious play, The Tragedy of Macbeth. Despite the fact that it seems as though Lady Macbeth and the witches took a toll on Macbeth’s behaviour throughout the play, Macbeth’s personal decisions lead him to his own catastrophe.
Firstly, Macbeth’s brave and courageous nature motivates him to commit a serious crime, in which he was not completely satisfied with; due to the fact that it made people believe that he did not attain the king of Scotland in a fair manner. Secondly, Macbeth is an obstinate character. Macbeth wants nothing to do with his conscience. He refuses to listen to his conscience. His conscience requests that he changes his ways and forgets about the terrible things he has done in the past, since it is directing him in the wrong direction.
Additionally, being extremely pragmatic directed Macbeth to his downfall in reason of him trying to complete problems instead of relying on specific ideas. Lastly, Macbeth’s emotional disorder takes a toll on his behaviour throughout the novel. His emotional disorder leads him to do things that he does not mean. Succeeding the killing of king Duncan, Macbeth is concerned about the death and he also feels remorseful to the crime he has committed. Also, Macbeth’s insanity causes him to hallucinate Banquo’s ghost, who is a commander of Duncan’s army.
Macbeth’s actions after hallucinating precisely shows that he feels guilty for the committing the crimes. Firstly, Macbeth’s brave and courageous nature motivates him to commit a serious crime, in which he was not completely satisfied with; due to the fact that it made Asare-Danso 3 people believe that he did not attain the king of Scotland in a fair manner. He attained the king of Scotland in a non professional fashion. “I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise? ” (Shakespeare,l,ii, 19). Macbeth kills the king in his sleep with bloody daggers in order for him to be king.
Due to Macbeth’s bewildered appetite, he is not able to propitiously hide the legitimacy behind the murder of king Duncan, which is the reason why others began to believe that Macbeth was a tyrant, and not a king. Macbeth’s bravery and courageousness is one of many reasons of his downfall as the king of Scotland. Also, in the beginning of the play, Macbeth is originally known for his bravery and he is also seen as a hero. He proves this when he killed Macdonwald by himself in a battle. Everybody was shocked and overjoyed with his accomplishment, including the king of Scotland himself, King Duncan. … For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name). ” (1,ii, 17).
A captain in Duncan’s army told King Duncan that Macbeth has achieved his goal of assassinating Macdonwald on his own, with no help at all, which is truly astonishing. The killing of Macdonwald was Macbeth’s very first murder, and of many more to come. Every now and then throughout the play, Macbeth’s bravery and courageousness is generally nourished by his conscious due to him being a tenacious character. Secondly, Macbeth is an obstinate character. Macbeth wants nothing to do with his conscience.
He refuses to listen to his conscience. His conscience requests that he changes his ways and forgets about the terrible things he has done in the past, since it is directing him in the wrong direction. Macbeth did not fail to murder the king in his sleep the night he visited the Macbeth’s. King Duncan stayed the night due to the fact that he was gratified to Macbeth for rescuing Scotland. Little did Duncan know, Macbeth had a plan to kill in order for him to be king. “Sleep no more. Macbeth is murdering sleep. ” (II, ii, 47-48).
His mind repeated that line numerous times after he killed King Duncan in his sleep. He is no longer pure as the king who was murdered in his sleep and, for that reason, he will not be able to sleep because only the innocent can sleep in peace. Macbeth was worried after hearing that line because he thought that he would not be able to sleep again. Afterwards, Macbeth completely ignored his conscience and continued to do what pleased him. Furthermore, “Shakespeare’s Macbeth has a constantly active and insistent conscience”; in fact, “Macbeth’s conscience is one of the most impressive things about him.
Implicit here is an understanding of the tragic protagonist as possessing certain “impressive” traits, and, in the absence of any more prominent qualities, Farnham, like other critics, fastens upon Macbeth’s conscience. ” (Kiefer 2). Lastly, Macbeth’s emotional disorder takes a toll on his behaviour throughout the novel. His emotional disorder leads him to do things that he does not mean. Succeeding the killing of king Duncan, Macbeth is concerned about the death and he also feels remorseful to the crime he has committed.