Who caused Macbeth's downfall? The Witches or Macbeth himself?

Answer 1

Good question. I think we can reasonably deduce that Macbeth's fate was his own. The witches warned him of a destiny which would await him should he choose it. At least to us, the observers, it was a warning. But Macbeth came to understand for himself that it was a fortelling of his future. That he was destined for greatness. He becomes drunk with ambition and greed ;perceiving his actions toward to that fulfillment as justified by the provinces of fate. Yet he has doubts, he wonders at times if it was really meant to be, or, as Scrooge says in A Christmas Carol, visions of things that MAY be only. Lady Macbeth personifies his malevolent nature and urges him to carry out whatever actions are necessary to propel him to his ultimate glory, the Scottish throne. All along, Macbeth had a choice. And that's what the enigmatic witches idealize, choices. Until Birnham Wood come to Dunsinane, a mysterious finish which he would come to realize as an army approaching Dunsinane castle carrying underbrush to conceal them. But Macbeth doesn't question what it means, only that somehow it fits in. He could have decided never to know what it meant. Shakespeare wrote about the conflicting natures of man, a struggle between good and evil which live in all of us. Giving the prompting of three pahntom sooth sayers he ultimately chooses the latter. It was his destiny because it was always his choice.

Answer 2

Ultimately MacBeth caused his own downfall. The Witches might have given him the idea, but he had a choice in his own future (like everyone else).

Answer 3

Macbeth was influenced by the Witches as well as by Lady Macbeth. Ultimately, however, it was his own ambition that was his downfall.

Answer 4

Macbeth himself.

Answer 5

By trying to manipulate events based on vague predictions by, of all people, witches, that was what caused Macbeth's downfall. Of course his own ambitions had alot to do with it too. I would say it was all his own doing aided by external factors.

Answer 6

macbeth himself

Answer 7

Shakespear caused the downfall of Macbeth.

Answer 8

Cherchez la femme! Macbeth should have never listened to his wife. By giving in to her plan he created his own means of destruction.

Answer 9

i say the witches, they planted the seeds of ambition in macbeth, which led to his downfall.

if they actually saw the future, and werent just good physcologists, he wouldve been king without going nuts.