Victim of Circumstances
Macbeth, a victim of circumstances or not? He was a victim of circumstances. The
witches, Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth himself all contribute to the murdering of Duncan.
The first of the three major circumstances Macbeth falls victim to is the witches'
prediction. The third prediction that the witches make is that he will be king "All
hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!"1.
The second of the circumstances is Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth, at first, skillfully
pushes Macbeth to murder Duncan by mocking him "Was the hope drunk; Wherein you dressed
yourself?"2, doubting his love for her "Such I account thy love,"3 accusing him of
cowardice "And live a coward"4. She finally convinced him by pointing out how easy it
would be " When Duncan is asleep-"5. Macbeth loved his wife very much and valued her
opinion, perhaps too much.
The last of the major circumstances is simply himself and what he is deep down. Macbeth
has no control over the way he is. It is his vaulting ambition that makes him the way he
is. This is why I consider it a circumstance where others may not. Macbeth is weak. He
gave in to his evil side by even considering murdering Duncan. We can see him
questioning himself in his aside in Act I scene 3 "Why do I yield to that suggestion
whose horrid image ... Are less than horrible imaginings;"6. He cannot seem to be able
to control his thoughts. He lets his ambition to become king run a wild. The murder of
Duncan is the first and biggest step in Macbeth's moral degradation. From here evil
deeds become easier because he feels he has gone too far to turn around.
I am in blood;
Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go o'er.7
Later Macbeth is so hardened by his sins "The time has been my senses would have cooled
To here a night-shriek"8 that a woman's shriek does nothing to him.
Now, in order for this essay to show that Macbeth is a victim of circumstances I must
prove the importance of each major circumstance. Without any one of these reasons I do
not believe that Macbeth would have gone through with killing Duncan.
If I take away the witches' prediction, Macbeth would never have thought about becoming
king. Thus he would not have given even a thought to murdering Duncan. Now, if he never
murdered Duncan, he would have had no reasons to have Banquo or Macduff's family killed
and this whole play would never have existed.
Lady Macbeth's attitude has a great influence on Macbeth. Let us say Lady Macbeth
opposed the idea of murdering Duncan. I think Macbeth would not have even given the idea
another thought simply because he loves his wife and values her opinion.
The third point I made in this paper was who Macbeth is inside. If Macbeth was a
gentle, kind soul that never had that terrible vaulting ambition he would never, even
with the predictions and his wife's attitude murder Duncan. He would ignore the
predictions and set his spouse strait and go on loyally serving his king.
The witches, Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth all contribute to Macbeth's downfall. In another
time, another place Macbeth would not have been a victim of these circumstances and would
not have murdered Duncan.
1Helen McDonnell et al, England in Literature. (Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and
Co., 1979) 140 ll. 50
2Ibid, 148 ll. 36-37
3Ibid, 148 ll. 40
4Ibid, 149 ll. 43
5Ibid, 149 ll. 61
6Ibid, 143 ll. 137
7Ibid, 171 ll. 136-138
8Ibid, 195 ll. 10-11
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