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Hayley Graff
Ms. Winter
British Literature, Period 2
12 December 2015

Macbeth's Death
Knowledge of what is to come is not always best when it comes to fate. The Weird Sisters
are thought to be tied in with fate. Macbeth's downfall was caused by the Weird Sisters giving
him the knowledge of his rise to power, Banquos sons rise to power, and Macbeth's Demise.
Macbeth knowing he was going to be Thane of Cawdor then king was the first step to his
downfall. Macbeth meets the Weird Sisters and learns that he will become Thane of Cawdor
...that shalt be king hereafter(Macbeth 1.3.49-50). Shortly after, he is named thane of Cawdor
and he writes to his wife, Lady Macbeth to tell her about both his promotion and The Weird
Sisters predictions. When Lady Macbeth learns of Duncan staying the night she sees it as
Macbeth's chance to seal his fate to gain the throne by killing Duncan. Macbeth sees no problem
believing in the witches instead: Macbeth fantasizes that the witches words are far-seeing
prophecies rather than clever temptations(Kalpakgian). The fact that Macbeth listens so closely
to these witches already starts to show his weakness for power because most don't trust the Weird
Sisters, but he does. Banquo starts to see the problem with listening to the witches shortly after
his and Macbeth's meeting with them.
Macbeth's Knowledge from the Weird Sisters that Banquo's son is to succeed him is the
next thing that causes him to diminish. Macbeth believes that he must kill Banquo before Banquo
kills him even though Banquo is his friend he then concluded Banquo, thy souls flight/ If it find
heaven, must find it out tonight(3.1.141-142). As Macbeth is falling further under the spell of

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the power and with the power the fear of it being taken away. Mabeth transfers his fears onto
Banquo and is afraid that he is going to try and kill him. Macbeth could have better placed his
fears other than his best friend Banquo because Unlike Macbeth Banquo ignores the
equivocal words of the Weird Sisters (Kalpakgian). The murder of Banquo is a success but not
of his son and the point of the mission is missed.
Macbeth's last step of deterioration is when goes to the witches again asking them for
help. The witches tell Macbeth none of woman born/ shall harm Macbeth Macbeth shall
never vanquished be until Birnam wood move to Dunsinane(Kalpakgian). Macbeth's ego goes
up as his wisdom of his surroundings goes down.He thing that he can not be killed be cause the
things the witches said sounded either impossible or contradicting. When Macbeth finds himself
in the face of death he sees all the signs that the Weird Sisters gave him accepts it and [throws]
[his] warlike shield(5.8.33). Throughout the entire play Macbeth trumps on as if nothing can
hurt him because believes so fully in the Weird Sisters prophecy, but the second comes against an
opponent who has the attributes of the one who is supposedly going to kill him, he just gives up.
Macbeth's knowledge of his rise to power, Banquo's sons rise to power, and Macbeth
demise caused him to to die the way he did and could have been prevented if the Weird Sisters
hadnt given him any premonitions. If the Weird Sister hadn't told Macbeth about how he would
be Thane of Cawdor and king, then he wouldn't he have told his wife and she wouldn't have
convinced him to kill the king. Macbeth not knowing about Banquo's sons being kings after him
might have left Macbeth less anxious about Banquo trying to kill him. Macbeth kills Banquo but
missed the son which will leave him to now get the throne as it was said. Had Macbeth not ask
who and where he would be killed he would not have known, not feared Macduff, and actually

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fought him instead of giving up. All of this is the butterfly effect and the more he knows the
more he plays into what the witches call fate.