Macbeths Downfall
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To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow
Macbeth. Act V, Scene V, Lines 19-24
In one of his most celebrated plays, 'Macbeth', William Shakespeare illustrates the classical tragic hero pattern: a character regarded with the utmost admiration, demoted to an evil villain, despised by all. Like most tragic heroes, Macbeth has hidden flaws which ultimately lead to his fall from grace. Influences from other characters play a role in his downfall, but the greatest cause comes from his own actions and thoughts. Murdering the
beloved king caused his future subjects to loose faith in his leadership. His delusional suspicion of others isolated him and drove him mad. Finally, his failure to recognize the warning signs of danger led to his doom. As a result of his ruthless quest for power which set in motion the resistance against him, the growing paranoia that caused him to make more enemies, and his failure to heed the warnings of the danger mounting towards him, Macbeth
himself is the one responsible for his own tragic downfall...