Although Macbeth does take actions that lead to his downfall, I believe that he
is not totally responsible for what happens. Although he takes the action that
leads to his downfall, he perhaps would not have done this if the witches had
not told him that he would be king in Act 1 Scene 3. I believe that it is the
witches are more responsible for Macbeth's downfall than he is. In Act 1, Scene
3, the witches tell Macbeth that he is thane of Glamis, thane of Cawdor and that
he "shalt be king hereafter". Immediately after hearing the witches
prophesise that he will be king, Macbeth thinks that he must kill the current
king to become king himself. I believe that before hearing the witch's
prophecies, Macbeth had never in his wildest dreams thought of killing King
Duncan to become king himself. In Act 4, Scene 1, Macbeth meets again with the
witches, who tell him through apparitions, "Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
Beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife." In the following scene, we see
murderers sent by Macbeth enter Macduff's castle and slaughter both Lady Macduff
and her son. The witches are also responsible for this murder, because once
again, the witches put ideas in his head. Although the witches can be held
responsible for the murder of King Duncan, Lady Macduff and her son, they cannot
be held responsible for the murder of Banquo. The witches only speak of Banquo
when Macbeth meets with them for the second time and Act 4, Scene 1, after
Banquo has already been killed. This murder is the complete responsibility of
Macbeth, because the witches had absolutely nothing to do with it and it was
only Macbeth's own suspicions that brought him to have Banquo killed. If Macbeth
had not taken action to fulfill the witch's prophecies, he would probably have
been happily living as the thane of Glamis and Cawdor at the end of the play. It
could be said that he was responsible for his own downfall. However, Macbeth
only took action after hearing the witch's prophecies, so I believe that Macbeth
cannot be held totally responsible for what happens to himself. I believe that
if Macbeth had never heard the witch's prophecies, he would have lived a happy,
full life, and perhaps he would have become anyway.