Was Macbeth A Traitor Essay, Research Paper

Macbeth deserved to die because he was totally responsible for the betraying the Scottish king, Duncan, and the Scottish people . Write an analytical essay in which you explore the forces behind Macbeth s murdering ways.

Macbeth deserved to die for betraying the Scottish king, Duncan, and the Scottish people; however, he was not totally responsible for his actions. Lady Macbeth and the three Witches also played a major role. They were responsible for convincing Macbeth to begin the series of events, which eventually led to the destruction of order in Scotland.

Once she had received news of the three Witches prophecies, Lady Macbeth was intent that she would eventually become Queen of Scotland. Initially, Macbeth had decided not to murder Duncan, We will proceed no further in this business (Macbeth, Act I, scene vii). However, Lady Macbeth was determined to continue with her original plan. She repeatedly insulted Macbeth s manhood, provoking him to continue with the plans to murder Duncan, When you durst do it, then you were a man; and to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man (Lady Macbeth, Act I, scene vii). She appealed to Macbeth s vaulting ambition so as to intensify the effect that the Witches prophecies had on him, Great Glamis! Worthy Cawdor! Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter (Lady Macbeth, Act I, scene v). She convinced Macbeth that the rewards of the murder would far outweigh the drawbacks and clear their conscience, A little water clears us of this deed (Lady Macbeth, Act I, scene ii). Although Macbeth dearly loved his king, Lady Macbeth yielded such a persuasive power over him that he was convinced the Witches prophecies of Duncan s murder and the resulting kingship were his rightful fate.

The three Witches deceived Macbeth by proclaiming ambiguous prophecies, which led him to believe that he would be a powerful and loved king. The second apparition, Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth (a bloody child, Act IV, scene i) led him to believe that he would never be harmed, as nobody alive can be none of woman born . Macbeth failed to realise that the apparition was referring to Macduff, who was born by caesarean. The third apparition, Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to High Dunsinane hill shall come against him (a child crowned with a tree in his hands, Act IV, scene i) also fooled Macbeth into believing that he would not be harmed as king. Macbeth believed that the notion of a wood moving was impossible and thus took the apparition to mean that he would rule Scotland for many years to come. Again, the prophecy was ambiguous. Malcom eventually killed Macbeth when his army raided the castle at Dunsinane hill using the medieval technique of cutting down saplings and slowly approaching a castle, appearing to be a wood. The Witches repeatedly fooled Macbeth into believing that he was to be a strong leader and strove to inject chaos into Scotland by means of a bloody and ruthless king.

Although Macbeth was seen as the butcher king, the initial murder of Duncan and resulting turmoil were a result of Lady Macbeth s and the three Withes manipulation of his mind. Lady Macbeth s malicious motives and the Witches riddled prophecies sent Macbeth into a crazed kingship, which left Scotland in a state of bloody disorder. Thus, Lady Macbeth and the three Witches were the real forces behind Macbeth s murdering ways.