Character Disintegration Assessment

Question

Directions for Writing:

The character disintegration of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth could be blamed on tragic flaws, like excessive ambition or hubris. It could also be blamed on external forces, like peer pressure, relationships, or the convincing words of others.

From the perspective of either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth, write an 8-10 sentence paragraph in which you explain whether the cause of your character disintegration or downfall was due to internal or external forces. Your paragraph should:

· place clear blame on an internal or external for why the character made the choices they made (was it their fault of someone/something else)

· use the first person point of view ("I" statements)

· cite three examples of textual evidence from the play to support your character's perspective and response

· explain the evidence from your selected character's point of view

Example (from the perspective of one of Cinderella's stepsisters): From the recesses of my heart, I cannot help but share our perspective on the unfortunate events. It wasn't my fault! I was but a victim of my circumstances, molded by a mother who only valued appearances. Our actions, though unkind, were born from the desperation to earn her love and secure our future. With her beauty and kindness, Cinderella was a constant reminder of my inadequacies in my mother's eyes. My laughter and mockery of Cinderella was a weak attempt to shield myself from the pain of rejection. I made her do "all the drudgery of the house" because my mother made me make her do our chores. I hid the invitation to the ball from Cinderella only because I wanted some time in the spotlight. I clearly yearned for the prince's love, too, because I "begged for a long time" to go . When the prince came to my house to find the owner of the glass slipper, I only locked Cinderella in her room to give myself a chance. I was "wild with delight" at the chance to look the prince in the eye. Blame should not be placed upon me; instead, the unforgiving expectations of parental and societal pressures shaped me into the wicked stepsister I became. Ultimately, I was a victim of a materialistic and superficial world that offered little compassion or understanding.

Character Disintegration Response Type your response here from the perspective of Macbeth or Lady Macbeth.

Answer 1

From my perspective as Macbeth, I must confess that the cause of my downfall was rooted in internal forces rather than external ones. It was my unchecked ambition and insatiable desire for power that led me to commit the heinous acts that ultimately led to my demise. When the witches prophesied that I would be king, I became consumed by visions of grandeur and could not resist the temptation to secure my place on the throne. The guilt and paranoia that haunted me after committing regicide were not due to external pressure, but rather a reflection of my own inner turmoil and moral conflict. My wife, Lady Macbeth, may have encouraged me to follow through with our plan, but ultimately, it was my own choice to succumb to my ambition and disregard my moral compass. As I spiraled further into darkness, it became clear that the true source of my downfall was the greed and ambition that consumed my soul, rather than external influences.