Fatal Flaws In Macbeth Essay, Research Paper
Macbeth and its Fatal Flaws
Anyone who is not a god, is not perfect. Everyone has a
weakness or a flaw. Some flaws are more deadly than others.
Some are addicted to heroin while others are unable to remember
where they put their keys. Every major flaw in this story
though, comes back to haunt them. The reason why anybody fails
in this story is because of their ?flaw?. Not everyone dies
though, that is because their flaw is not fatal. Following will
be an explanation of how the major flaws of the characters lead
to their downfall.
Macbeth will be the first one discussed, since he was the
main character. The play?s problems start when he kills Duncan.
This is done because he has a flaw; he is too determined. He
doesn?t let anything in his way of the goal, to be king, proven
here:
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:
The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
2
which the eye fears, when it is done, to
see.(Act I, Scene vii, lines 1-28)
If he had not been so determined to be king, then Duncan would
never have had to die. Consequently, if Macbeth had not killed
Duncan, this story would not have any murders in it at all.
Macbeth is driven by greed and violence proven by William
Hazlitt:
Macbeth himself appears driven along by
the violence of his fate like a vessel
drifting before a storm: he reels to and fro
like a drunken man; he staggers under the
weight of his own purposes and the
suggestions of others; he stands at bay with
his situation; and from the superstitious awe
and breathless suspense into which the
communications of the Weird Sisters throw
him, is hurried on with daring impatience to
verify their predictions, and with impious
and bloody hand to tear aside the veil which
hides the uncertainty of the future.
(Hazlitt, pg. 28)
3
Macbeth?s fate was more deserving than any others since he killed
so many people; Duncan, Banquo, and MacDuff?s family. Macbeth
never did feel sorry for what he did until his deeds came back to
haunt him. If Macbeth would have been patient and had waited,
then he probably would have become king and enjoyed it.
Lady Macbeth had a very prominent flaw that was her undoing.
She was partners with Macbeth in the killing of Duncan. She was
willing to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan but she could not do
it herself. Proven by Samuel Taylor:
Lady Macbeth merely endeavours to
his and her own sinkings of heart by
anticipations of the worst and an affected
bravado in confronting them. (Taylor, pg. 32)
This is the reason she was not as strong as she portrayed. This
was why she could not take it and Macbeth could. In the end, it
finally got to her so badly that she committed suicide. She
could not take the pressure and went insane. Here is an example
from the play:
Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One: two: why,
then ?tis time to do?t. Hell is murky. Fie,
my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What
4
need we fear who knows it, when none can
call our pow?r to accompt? Yet who would have
thought the old man to have had so
much blood in him? (V, i, 34-39)
She probably deserved her fate, for she contributed to the
bloodshed.
Banquo, who at one time was Macbeth?s best friend, was
killed by Macbeth. Being Macbeth?s friend was not his fatal
flaw, but it led to it. His fatal flaw was knowing about the
murder of Duncan. He could not have done anything about it. If
he had told anyone about it, no one would have believed him; and
Macbeth still would have killed him. Obviously, if he did what
he did (be still), he would have been killed. He really did not
deserve this death, he was probably most deserving of staying
alive.
Duncan, who was King of England, was killed by Macbeth
because he stood in the way of the throne. This was not his
fatal flaw, but because he was so naive he did not realize that
anyone would want to overthrow him as king. For example, he
stayed at Macbeth?s castle. If he had been smarter, then he
would not have been so vulnerable and would not have stayed where
5
someone could kill him. Duncan?s fatal flaw was not deserving of
death, though, he probably should have lost his throne.
The Thane of Cawdor was killed by Macbeth for trying to lead
a revolt against England. His fatal flaw was that he was a
traitor. The Thane was greedy and wanted the throne for himself,
just like Macbeth. Also, just like Macbeth, his fate was
deserved for he led many people to their death, just for his
profit.
Everyone who died in this play had a reason for dying,
although not all were deserving of their fate. Macbeth was
determined to gain the throne. Lady Macbeth was greedy. Banquo
knew about the murder of Duncan. Duncan was naive and finally,
the Thane of Cawdor was a traitor. Duncan should not have died.
If he had only been more aware, and if Banquo had not been
friends with Macbeth. If Macbeth had not been so determined to
have the throne, none of this would have happened in the first
place.