Tuesday, July 31, 2012

What factors contribute to King Duncan’s death? Is there only one person to blame?

No one person is responsible for Duncan's death. His murder is very much a joint effort. The ringleader of the assassination plot is Lady Macbeth, who constantly cajoles her husband into carrying out this wicked act, thus fulfilling his destiny to become king of Scotland.
The Weird Sisters also play their part in the whole tawdry affair. It was their prophecy that turned Macbeth's head, transforming him from a loyal, faithful servant into a ruthless, cold-blooded regicide. One could argue that had it not been for the witches' prophecy Macbeth would never have dreamed of killing the man to whom he'd given so many years of devoted service.
All that said, Macbeth's role in Duncan's murder is the decisive one. Without his involvement, it would never have happened. Lady Macbeth may have been the driving force behind the assassination, and the Weird Sisters may have planted the idea in Macbeth's mind to begin with, but it was only Macbeth's active involvement in the murder plot that made it successful.
The whole point of killing Duncan was to allow Macbeth to take over as king, and it would've looked strange, not to mention an affront to Macbeth's macho sensibilities, if he had usurped the throne due to the involvement of a small group of over-ambitious women. For all Lady Macbeth's tough words, she knows that Macbeth must take the throne for himself. She can arrange all the sordid details of the plot, but in the context of Scottish politics and society only Macbeth can strike the decisive blow.


Arguably, there are a number of factors which contributed to King's Duncan's death. Firstly, the prophecies which are told to Macbeth and Banquo in act 1, scene 3 play a significant role in Duncan's death. Had the witches not told Macbeth that he would be king, the idea of murdering Duncan may never have entered his thoughts.
We can also blame ambition for King Duncan's death. The lure of the crown, and the prestige that it brings, are instrumental in providing the impetus for Duncan's murder. This idea is applicable to both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
To a certain extent, we might blame King Duncan's announcement in act 1, scene 4 too. Had he not named Malcolm as his successor, Macbeth may not have gone ahead with the murder so hastily.
There is, therefore, more than one person to blame for Duncan's death. We can blame the witches for creating the prophecy as well as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth for harboring the necessary ambition and propensity for violence.

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