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Ivonne Romero

Ms. Figueroa

Senior English

1 March 2019

The Downfall of Macbeth

In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is a perfect example of having too much ambition can

lead to having a downfall. William Shakespeare’s play is about the ambition one gets when they

become over confident and become ambitious. When Macbeth starts not being able to control his

thoughts he starts to become crazy. He starts to believe everyone is against he and he starts to see

the ghost of Banquo, who he sent to murder. Lady Macbeth is responsible for the downfall of

Macbeth which is portrayed through her manipulation and pushing him to his limit.

Lady Macbeth’s manipulation has led to Macbeth to murder king Duncan. When

receiving a letter from Macbeth about the witches’ prophecies she is willing to do anything to

make Macbeth king. She calls to the power of evil to do what she must do. She states, “Which

thou esteem’st the ornament of life And live a coward in thine own esteem” (Shakespeare, act 1.

Scene 7. Line 42-43). When Macbeth becomes hesitant to the murder, Lady Macbeth calls him

out for being a coward when in the beginning he was willing to murder King Duncan in order to

become the king. She states, “Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept

since? And wakes it now, to look so green and pale At what it did so freely” (Shakespeare, act 1.

Scene 7. Line 36-38). Lady Macbeth starts to question him if is actually serious about killing

King Duncan or if he was bluffing when he seemed so hopeful in the plan. Starts to call him out

for being fearful and afraid from the idea now that he has actually thought it through.
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By Lady Macbeth plotting the murder and framing the servants leads to the downfall of

Macbeth. When Lady Macbeth gets the letter from Macbeth, she starts to form the plan to make

Macbeth the new king. She states, “Stop up the access and passage to remorse, that no

compunctious visiting of nature shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between the effect and

it!” (Shakespeare, act one. Scene 5. Line 34-36). Lady Macbeth is calling the “sprits” to stop

from feeling remorse for what has been planned for when the king will arrive. Not even the

human force can stop her for not carrying out the plan. She states, “What not put upon his

spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt of our quell?” (Shakespeare, act one. Scene 7. Line 71-

74). Lady Macbeth is planning to frame the servants in the crime of the death of King Duncan.

Macbeth wants to prove to her that he can go through with the plan, with the constant pushing

from Lady Macbeth he starts to hallucinate. A dagger appears before him leading him to murder

the king.

Lady Macbeth is responsible for the downfall of Macbeth which is portrayed through her

manipulation and pushing him to his limit. Throughout the play, Lady Macbeth has been

influencing Macbeth to carry out the plan in murdering King Duncan. By guilt tripping him and

among other things to do the deed. From reading the play you learn that have too much ambition

can led you to have a downfall. To follow other people’s orders no matter how much they try to

pressure you to do it, it is not worth it.

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