from the battle with Norway, Lady Macbeth wastes no time urging Macbeth to kill Duncan and take the throne. "Oh never shall sun that morrow see!" (I, sc vi, 61) Although Macbeth's ambition for the throne is far less than his wife at this point in the play, he still has a strong conscience. This is evident by his hallucinations of the dagger "Is this a dagger I see before me...I have thee not yet I see thee still" (II, sc I, 33-35) and later the ghost of Banquo. Even after he kills Duncan, his conscience makes him become extremely paranoid. "Whence is that knocking? How is't with me, when every noise appalls me?" (II, sc iii, 56-57) This is the first step of Macbeth's turning into a monster.After only one murder, Macbeth wastes no time or thought in killing others to make sure his evil deed stays secret. His actions take a turn for the worst when he spontaneously stabs the guards who were the "murderers" of Macbeth and even sinks as low as to kill the innocent family of Macduff, whom Macbeth sees as a threat. Macbeth even kills his best friends Banquo because he fears that Banquo's children will become kings of Scotland as the witches prophesied. All of these actions which Macbeth undertakes show his insecurity which has now become present within him. As the play progresses, Macbeth continues to spiral down into the hole of evil until the end of the play. At this point he comments to himself ". . .and that which should accompany old age, as honor, love, obedience, troops of friends . . . " (V, sc iii, 24-25) indicating he wishes for a normal life where he could live to his age with honor and dignity. However, because of all the past sins which he has committed he will be unable to do so. Even when he hears of his wife's suicide, Macbeth comments, "she should've died hereafter." (V, sc v, 17) Macbeth's character is seen to be very strong physically yet extremely weak mentally, this is the weakness which causes his downfall. ...
