The main character of William Shakespeare's tragic play, Macbeth, suffers a terrible downfall in the course of the play.
The play is set in Scotland where Macbeth murders King Duncan and becomes the new king. Macbeth is clearly insecure about his role as king and keeps murdering people who were once close to him. Macbeth's role as king is short as he meets his death at the hands of Macduff. Some of Macbeth's tragic downfall is partly due to the three witches he meets on a moor with Banquo, his close friend.
The three witches were partly responsible for Macbeth's downfall, because they made Macbeth believe what he wanted to believe. When the witches first met Macbeth they prophesied that he would become Thane of Cawdor and then King. The first witch said ""All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!"" the second witch said ""All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!"" then the third witch said ""All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be King hereafter."" Macbeth was clearly startled. This was the sowing the seed of his ambition to become King. The witches vanished after hailing him.
When Macbeth met the witches for a second time, he went to find them. Macbeth asked the three some questions and to reply them the witches conjured up three apparitions. Firstly saying ""Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff ,"" then ""Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth,"" and finally "" Macbeth shall never vanquish"d be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him."" The witches" prophecies are very vague because most of them are in riddles but they made clear that to be wary of Banquo. Macbeth doesn't seem to pay as much attention to that as Birnam Wood rising to Dunsinane Hill. Macbeth interpreted the witches" riddles as he wanted to hear them. Macbeth was encouraged to believe that he could control fate and it was on his side.
