CAN WE HOLD MACBETH FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EVIL DEEDS

COMMITTED IN THE PLAY?

MACBETH

Even though Macbeth is the one who commits the assassinations of Duncan,

Banquo, and the family of Macduff, he is influenced by different people such as his

wife and the three witches. Due to the fact that he accepts to be influenced by them

and he is the one who commits the assassinations, he is not the only one fully

responsible for the evil deeds. Moreover, his ambition to become king and obtain the

control of everything does not let him control what he is doing and it brings him to

betray his friends.

The assassination of Duncan is the first crime that is committed by Macbeth and

it is, at the same time, the first tragic event. Although Duncan asks Macbeth to

become the Thane of Cawdor and Macbeth wants to enjoy the moment, his wife

does not let him be a good man, she treats him as a coward and she persuades him

to kill the king. Moreover, she helps him do the crime, she gives the servants some

drinks and she puts drugs in

“their possets,

That death and nature do contend about them,

Whether they live or die” (Act 2- Scene 2- lines 9-11)

as a result, the servants are drunk and the Thane of Cawdor can murder the king

since nobody is not caring about him and, furthermore, it is supposed that everyone

in the castle is asleep since it is midnight.

 Secondly it is the assassination of Banquo. It is presumed the son of Banquo

will inherit the throne instead of the sons of Macbeth which makes him be able to kill

Banquo and his son, Fleance but he escapes and he is still alive. He tries to do it

since the three witches predict that even though Banquo will not be as successful as

Macbeth, his descendants “get kings, though {him} be none” (1 – 3 – 68). As the

Thane of Glamis realizes that there can be another king like him, he wants to kill

both in order to become the only one powerful man in the place. Moreover, he has

just realized that all the prophecies that the witches have told happen.

Additionally, there is one more assassination that is directly related to the new

king, it is the family of Macduff. After visiting for the second time the witches he is

warned that he has to “Beware Macduff. / Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss {her}

Enough” [4 – 1 – 73/74) but he does not believe that it is necessary to kill Macduff.

Nevertheless, Macbeth needs to guarantee his own fate so he kills his family

because he knows that if he murders his wife and son, nobody of the family can

inherit the throne.

To conclude, the ambition to achieve power and to reign and also, the

influences lead Macbeth to do terrible deeds and as a consequence, he betrays his

king and his friends. Furthermore, there are some innocent deaths and he becomes

unrecognizable.

6/11
READ ALL THE CORRECTIONS CAREFULLY.
PREPARE A SECOND DRAFT.
MAKE ALL THE NECESSARY CHANGES.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT THE SECOND DRAFT: 11/11 AT 11.59 PM.
PLEASE DO NOT DELETE THE FIRST DRAFT
 SECOND DRAFT

CAN WE HOLD MACBETH FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EVIL DEEDS

COMMITTED IN THE PLAY?
MACBETH

Even though Macbeth is the one who commits the assassinations of Duncan,

Banquo, and the family of Macduff, he is influenced by different people such as his

wife and the three witches. Due to the fact that he accepts to be influenced by them

and he is the one who commits the assassinations, he is not the only one fully

responsible for the evil deeds. Moreover, his ambition to become king and obtain the

control of everything does not let him control what he is doing and it leads him to

betray his friends.

The assassination of Duncan is the first crime that is committed by Macbeth and

it is, at the same time, the first tragic event. Although Duncan asks Macbeth to

become the Thane of Cawdor and Macbeth wants to enjoy the moment, his wife

does not let him be a good man and she persuades him to kill the king; she asks him

to express his gratitude to the king through his eyes,

“{his} hand, {his} tongue. Look like th' innocent flower,

But be the serpent under ’t. He that’s coming,

Must be provided for; and {he} shall put,

This night’s great business into {her} dispatch,” {1 -5 - 56 to 59}

thus, Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to summon up all his guile to deceive and

murder Duncan. She tells Macbeth how to act in order to be prepared for when the

time comes. As a result, she helps him do the crime, she puts some drugs in the

cups of the servants and the Thane of Cawdor can murder the king since it is

supposed that everyone in the castle is asleep and the servants are not caring about

him.

Secondly, it is the assassination of Banquo. It is presumed the son of Banquo

will inherit the throne instead of the sons of Macbeth which makes him be able to kill

Banquo and his son, Fleance but he escapes and he is still alive. He tries to do it

since the three witches predict that even though Banquo will not be as successful as

Macbeth, his descendants will “get kings, though {him} be none” (1 – 3 – 68). As the

Thane of Glamis realizes that there can be another king like him due to the

predictions, he wants to kill both in order to become the only one powerful man in the

place, moreover, he has just realized that all the prophecies that the witches have

told happen. Consequently, he orders his servants to kill Banquo and Fleance ;

nonetheless, they only kill Banquo since his son can escape.

Additionally, there is one more assassination that is directly related to the new

king, it is the family of Macduff. After visiting for the second time the witches he is

warned that he has to

“Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn,

The power of man, for none of woman born

Shall harm Macbeth,” {4, 1, 82, 85}

so he does not believe that it is necessary to kill Macduff since nobody that was born

from a woman will hurt him. Nevertheless, Macbeth needs to guarantee his own fate

so he kills his family because he knows that if he murders his wife and son, nobody

of the family can inherit the throne.

To conclude, the ambition to achieve power and to reign and also, the

influences lead Macbeth to do terrible deeds and as a consequence, he betrays his

king and his friends. Furthermore, there are some innocent deaths and he becomes

unrecognizable.

15/11

YOU HAD TO FOCUS ON THE ISSUE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND MENTION IT IN

ALL YOUR PARAGRAPHS.

PLEASE TAKE ALL MY CORRECTIONS INTO ACCOUNT FOR THE FINAL EXAM.

PASS

CURSADA APROBADA