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Relative Influences on Macbeth to Kill his King in Shakespeare's Macbeth

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Relative Influences on Macbeth to Kill his King in Shakespeare's Macbeth

There were a number of factors that influenced Macbeth's decision whether to assassinate King Duncan or not. Each of these arguments worked for or against Macbeth's better judgement of the situation. Eventually, a combination of all these factors broke down his conscience through his mental weakness; this led to an unwise decision to kill the King. The consequences of this were fairly disastrous because Macbeth began to regret his actions just moments after the deed was done. The whole concept of Macbeth's desire to become King of Scotland began when he and Banquo first met the three witches on the moorland. The witches greeted Macbeth each with a …show more content…

In a way, this scares him, as it would you or me if in his position. It is already starting to show that he is brave in battle, but fragile in mind.

Macbeth's conscience works well for him at first by helping him reject the idea of murder, as Macbeth tells himself:
'If I chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir.'
This means that if the witches' prophecies are true, then he will become King whatever the circumstances, so he wouldn't need to commit any crimes, for example murder.

By the end of scene four, Macbeth realises that he may have to take some action to become King, whether it be murder or not. His soliloquy indicates that he wants no one to see what he feels, and what he wants to do. He admits to himself that he has black and deep desires locked up inside him, which he does not want anyone good to see, as he says:
"The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o'er leap,
For in my way it lies. Stars hide your fires!
Let not light see my black and deep desires;"

From one of Macbeth and his wife's first conversations, he proves his reluctance to give his wife a final decision

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