Macbeth Deserves No Pity Essay, Research Paper
The tragedy of Macbeth tells of how a noble and respected man, turned into a tyrant by ambition and greed. There were outside influences which contributed to this transformation such as the prophecies told by the witches, and lady Macbeth. However Macbeth deserves no pity as it was he who decided upon the actions he took, which left many innocent people dead including himself.
Macbeth chose his fate when he had it all. He had friends, honor and was well respected by the king. O Valiant cousin! Worthy Gentlemen . He let his ambition take control after he was told of the prophecies by the witches. All hail, Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter! Macbeth can t control his ambition he keeps thinking about being king. Stars hide your fires, let not light see my deep and dark desires . As a result of Macbeth giving way to his ambition, he kills trusted friends, which he pays for later. After killing Duncan he starts to feel the guilt of what he has done. But wherefore could not I pronounce Amen? Only at the end does Macbeth realise what he gave up, as a result of his ambition. As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have; but in their stead. Macbeth gave up everything for a shot at being king and all he got out of letting his ambition take control is wanting everything he had before.
Macbeth is also very foolish and doesn t learn from his mistakes. He lets himself be further and further caught up in evil, even after realising that following evil had consequences. After the guilt he suffers from Duncan s death To know my deed, twere best not to know myself. Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst. Had I died an hour before this chance, I had lived a blessed time. He goes and kills a close friend banquo and then he is haunted by ghosts. Macbeth should have learnt that by listening to the witches prophecies it brought misfortune for him as well, but he still went to them for guidance. tell me thou unknown power . It is only at the near end of his life does Macbeth learn that evil cannot be trusted. To doubt th equivocation of the fiend. That lies like truth: Fear not, till Brinam Wood. Do come to Dusinaine Macbeth is a very foolish man ad he should have known after the first time that evil cannot be trusted. He deserved what he got.
Although Lady Macbeth did play a part in Macbeth s misfortune, it was Macbeth who willingly decided to go ahead with her plan, knowing that he would suffer for it. Lady Macbeth did call Macbeth a coward and did give him harsh treatment for not going along with her plan And live a coward in thine own esteem .. When you durst do it, then you were a man However Macbeth must have been kidding himself if he though that he would feel no quilt after killing the king, if his guilt was kicking in, even before the deed was done. Is this a dagger which I see before me . Nature seems dead .Pale Hectate s offerings; witchcrafts celebrates. His speech before killing the king was a sign that Macbeth was morally not ready to do such a thing, it could have been his ambition or his greed which forced him to kill the King, however it was very foolish.
Macbeth is truly a sad story of how a good hearted man chose the wrong path. It must be remembered that even though Macbeth and the witches contributed to Macbeth s tragedy, Macbeth is ultimately responsible for the actions he took. Macbeth should receive no sympathy, for he had it all, honour, friends, loyalty, and gave it all up for one chance at glory. Macbeth did get his glory, but in the process lost everything that meant something in his life.