Witch-slapped: Macbeth's fall from grace

1. Why do people who are not "evil" take the first step into evil? What, for instance, is involved in taking that first step "down the primrose path to the everlasting bonfire" (Macbeth, 2.3)? What are the consequences of the individual choosing evil (particularly the internal consequences)? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.

The reason why people take the first step into evil is as a result of their deepest desires/the sin of greed and the sin of pride. In the story of Macbeth, Macbeth is portrayed as a brave and honorable man filled with pride.  While returning from battle Macbeth and Banquo run into three witches. The witches reveal a prophecy about Macbeth and Banquo’s future. “All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be King hereafter.” Soon after Macbeth discovers that the part about becoming Thane of Cawdor was true, and this is the start of Macbeth turning towards evil and having the desire to become King. “The prince of Cumberland: that is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, for in my way it lies. Stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires”.  Returning home to Lady Macbeth, Macbeth is full of pride and slowly as Lady Macbeth begins manipulating him and make the decision, Macbeth starts feeling pathetic. Together with the prophecy and the manipulation Macbeth slowly changes  into becoming evil. To fulfill his desire and obtain his pride, Macbeth murders King Duncan because Lady Macbeth fails. Afraid of the prophecy about Banquo as King, Macbeth sends murderers out to kill Banquo so he would not be in the way of Macbeth.
As a result for Macbeth stepping into evil, Macbeth discovers several consequences. After the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth is filled with guilt and is very worried that he lost his pureness by going against his religious beliefs. When one of King Duncan’s men said “God bless us”, Macbeth was worried that he would not be able to say “Amen”. After the murder of Banquo Macbeth are not filled with the same guilt as with King Duncan. Instead he is angry the Fleance got away and are still alive. As his deserations of keeping his throne Macbeth becomes very paranoid, and at a dinner party he see Banquo’s ghost.

Comments

  1. Keerti KalluruDecember 10, 2017 at 1:52 PM

    I also did the same question!! :) I think you did a good job of analysing why Macbeth becomes evil. I agree that he has a lot of pride and greed. Along with his ambition and a push from Lady Macbeth, he decides to commit the murder. I also really like the quote you chose about the stars hiding their fires so that Macbeth's desire will not be seen. Although I focused more on the influence of the supernatural and Lady Macbeth, I realised after reading your post that Macbeth already has a lot of hidden ambition and greed that causes him to commit the evil deed.

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