Macbeth's Calamitous Downfall

Everything Comes At a Price

One's lust for power may lead to their ultimate downfall. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the title character does anything in his power, including murder and use of dark forces, to achieve the position of king of Scotland. However, his hubris overtakes him and eventually turns into the instigator for his calamitous downfall. Macbeth's lust for power turns into too much a force for him to control, and his character slowly develops into a bitter tyrant who believes life has no meaning. Through his succumbing to evil temptations, his hubris, and his change on the view of life, Macbeth exhibits his development into the only one responsible for his ultimate downfall.

Through his confliction and uneasiness surrounding the murder of Duncan, Macbeth succumbs to evil temptations, beginning his downward spiral to his impending doom. In the moments before the murder of Duncan, Macbeth speaks of a "dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from heat-oppressed brain?"(2.1.50). In this quote from his soliloquy, this "dagger of the mind" speaks of the only real tool needed for the murder of Duncan: Macbeth's willing to do so. The quote exhibits Macbeth's confliction, his "heat-oppressed brain" telling the reader of the stress he must go through in contemplating this murder. The example shown ultimately displays Macbeth's struggle trying to fight the evil temptations, showing he still valued life. Another display of Macbeth's succumbing to temptations occurs when he states "I go, and it is done."(2.1.75). When he states the word "done", he speaks of the murder of Duncan, and shows Macbeth finally succumbing to the temptations of achieving power, planting the seeds for his inescapable defeat. His ambition and hubris overtake and him and cause him to commit the murder, ending his confliction but beginning his downward spiral toward his downfall. Macbeth exhibits his uneasiness after the murder of Duncan when he asks if "all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?"(2.2.77). At this moment Macbeth acknowledges the great deed of murder he has committed. He realizes the blood, or the guilt, will never leave him, for he has too much guilt. However, he can only blame himself for his guilt, for he committed the murder of Duncan.

By devising plans to murder everyone that will get in the way of his kingship and finding every way to ensure it, Macbeth exhibits his hubris at its highest level throughout the play. This reveals itself when Macbeth orders the murder of Banquo for "every minute of his being thrusts against my nears't of life"(3.1.133). This quote reveals how Macbeth views Banquo as a problem, due to his suspicion of Macbeth's foul play in achieving the kingship. In ordering Banquo's murder, Macbeth exhibits his hubris and his willingness to do anything to hold the king's throne in Scotland. Another example of this occurs when Macbeth visits the Weird Sisters and encounters the three Apparitions, telling him to "Beware Macduff", "No man born of a woman shall harm you", and "Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam