Stephanie Chao

Period 2
06/04/14
Macbeth End-of-Book Essay

F)

The witches, in Macbeth, would be the most to blame for Macbeths downfall throughout

the whole play. They started his downfall by telling Macbeth his first prophecy, the Thane of
Glamis[,] Thane of Cawdor [and then] king hereafter (1.3.51-53).Macbeth already being the
Thane of Glamis, and soon after crowned as Thane of Cawdor. Believing in what the witches has
told him, his downfall had begun.
Macbeth has gotten greedier and greedier by the moment. He starts off by writing a letter
to Lady Macbeth, explaining to her everything; He told her about the prophecy the witches told
him, and his plan to become king. In Macbeths mind, the only way to become King, was to
eliminate the King himself. Having second thoughts and wanting to back out at the last moment,
Lady Macbeth calls him unmanly-like. With the help and encouragement from Lady Macbeth,
the deed [has been done] (2.2.19). King Duncan is no longer a threat to Macbeth. Duncans
two sons fled, Malcolm to England, and Donalbain to Ireland, Macbeth had successfully
inherited the throne.
With the help of the witches, Macbeth is able to keep the role of king without worrying
about losing the throne. He is also capable of eliminating future threats, starting off with Banquo.
Macbeths prophecy was not the only one told. Banquo shalt get kings, though [he] be none
(1.3.70). Scared of this, Macbeth hires three murderers to kill both Banquo and his son, Fleance.
He successfully killed Banquo and his son Fleance still lived and had escaped. After these

events, Macbeth is slowly changing, and is no longer feeling guilt from murdering innocent
people.
Having this done, Macbeth still has not fulfilled his desires. He goes and visits the
witches once more to learn how to assure his seat on the throne as the king. They told him of
things to come in the future: Macbeth was told to beware the Thane of Fife (4.1.82). Also no
power of man, for none woman born shall harm Macbeth (4.1.91-92); Macbeth will not
vanquish until Great Birnam Wood to High Dunsinane Hill shall come against him (4.1.106107), and lastly, Macbeth is shown an image of the future kings, all looking similar to Banquo.
Needing to kill Macduff, also known as the Thane of Fife, Macbeth finds out that Macduff has
fled to England. Unable to kill Macduff, Macbeth orders the murderers to kill Macduffs wife,
children, servants, [and] all that could be found (4.3.250). While telling Macbeth the second
part of the prophecy, the witches only gave Macbeth half of what he needed to know. Not
knowing that Macduff was untimely ripped from his mothers womb (5.8.19-20), this led to
Macbeths death and this is the end of Macbeths downfall. The witches being the ones who
starts the downfall, they are also the ones who ends it for Macbeth.