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What Caused Macbeth's Downfall

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What drove Macbeth to ruin? Was it greed? Was it his desire for power over the entire kingdom? Or did he in fact suffer from the mental illness identified today as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The symptoms shown by Macbeth include his need for perfection, his need to be in control, and the fact that he caused great harm and death to others. In fact he couldn't control everybody in his world. He could not stop his mind from foretelling or predicting the events which lead to the downfall of this tragic hero Macbeth. Macbeth wanted to be king but was told that he would never achieve that goal. His desire to be in control at all times pushed him to commit terrible acts against anyone who stood in his way. And yet, he could not control …show more content…

His urge for perfection leads him to hire murderers to kill Banquo, instead of doing it himself. He feared being caught in the act or not doing it right. Macbeth Macbeth later discovers that the witches aren't playing around considering the first prophecies have come true, now Macbeth feel he has to kill Banquo and Fleance to stop the second part of the prophecies. Just like anything else this takes a wrong turn. “An urge for perfection can manifest as an obsession with maintaining order. It can also take other forms such as dread of losing important items or forgetting important details”(Promises treatment center.com). Macbeth did not forget about Fleance but he thought he was going to be killed along with Banquo, this is a relatable way to show that his OCD is obviously starting to take over a big majority of his thinking. With Macbeth knowing that the prophecies aren't perfect he seeks the urge for perfection he decides to kill banquo but it has to be perfect in the act Macbeth says, “I will advise you where to plant yourself, Acquaint you with the perfect spy o’ the time,The moment on ‘t for ‘t must be done to-night And something from the palace; always thought That I require a clearness: and with him to leave no rubs nor botches in the work Fleance his son, that keeps him company, Whose absence is no less material to me Than is his father’s must embrace the fate of that dark …show more content…

During the play Macbeth sought to control everything. Macbeth needed everything to be perfect in order for him to rise to the top as time went on he continued to March towards what he wanted with more stuff standing in Macbeth's way his OCD aroused coming out in all different ways but the most noticeable symptoms might possibly be the age for perfection and the obsession to be at the top and nothing was standing in Macbeth's way now these words and thoughts were going through his mind he had his mind set on what he wanted and that was to be king and nothing was standing in his way Lady Macbeth and the witches also pushed him a majority of the way. Lady Macbeth in the witches fed him lies and put him to do what he did causing a mental illness and if not causing it String the mental illness up making it more easy to commit the foul behavior Macbeth knew he didn't want to do. He told Lady Macbeth that he was backing away from killing Duncan and Lady Macbeth had a idea at hand and was controlling Macbeth at this time. Lady Macbeth and the witches caused Macbeth's mental illness to come out. The witches told Macbeth the three prophecies making him think he knew everything that was going on he thought he had it all planned out. Macbeth's OCD is shown when he first committed to killing Duncan. What is known as the want and obsession. The witches continued to tell him things and making him think. The witches told him no

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