Question

Macbeth's choices and consequences: What are some key choices in Macbeth (plus quotes) that show the irrational side of human nature and their consequences?

Accepted Answer

Lady Macbeth goes to great lengths to convince her husband to go through with the murder, when he has second thoughts."What beast was't, then, That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it then you were a man;And, to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place Did then adhere, and yet you would make both" (Act I, Scene VII)Macbeth chooses ambition over everything else in life.  After he kills Duncan, he loses everything a little at a time. The ability to eat, sleep, the comfort of family and friends. "Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleepno more! Macbeth does murder sleep,' the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care, The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's secondcourse, Chief nourisher in life's feast," Act II, Scene II) "Blood hath been shed ere now, i' theolden time,Ere human statute purg'd the gentle weal; Ay, and since too, murders have been perform'd Too terrible for the ear: the times have been, That, when the brains were out, the man would die, And there an end; but now they rise again, With twenty mortal murders on their crowns, And push us from our stools: this is morestrange Than such a murder is." (Act III, Scene IV) After Banquo's murder, Macbeth sees his ghost and starts to lose his mind.In the end, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are swallowed up by fatal consequences to their actions.

Answer

It's difficult to determine from moment to moment in Shakespeare's Macbeth whether Macbeth is motivated by fear, ambition, or love, whether any of these motivations is rational or irrational, and which of the decisions that Macbeth makes based on these motivations is rational or irrational.
The most significant decision that Macbeth makes in the play is to murder Duncan. Everything else that happens in the play occurs as a result of that choice.
Why does Macbeth kill Duncan, and what is irrational about his choice to do so?
If Macbeth believes the witches' prophecies—which he apparently does—why wouldn't Macbeth consider murdering Duncan as simply fulfilling that prophecy and a perfectly rational thing to do? Why wouldn't Macbeth consider Duncan's visit to his castle as a fortuitous circumstance to help him fulfill the prophecy, and that taking advantage of that circumstance is a perfectly rational thing to do?

MACBETH: If chance will have me king, why, chancemay crown meWithout my stir. (1.3.155–157)

Duncan's visit to Macbeth's castle very well could be the "chance" that will crown Macbeth King. All he has to do is take advantage of that "chance." Is that irrational?
Is Macbeth afraid, perhaps, that if he doesn't take the "chance," that he'll lose the "chance" and not fulfill the prophecy?
Is Macbeth afraid that he'll lose Lady Macbeth if he doesn't kill Duncan?
When Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that he's decided not to kill Duncan, she tells him that he's a coward, that he's going back on his word to her, and that he doesn't love her.

LADY MACBETH: Was the hope drunkWherein you dress'd yourself? Hath it slept since?And wakes it now, to look so green and paleAt what it did so freely? From this timeSuch I account thy love. Art thou afeardTo be the same in thine own act and valorAs thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have thatWhich thou esteem'st the ornament of lifeAnd live a coward in thine own esteem,Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would”Like the poor cat i’ the adage? (1.7.39–49)

Macbeth clearly loves Lady Macbeth, and in this circumstance might he not prefer to agree to murder Duncan rather than lose her?
Is Macbeth driven to kill Duncan by blind ambition? Has Macbeth decided that he simply wants to be King no matter what he has to do to achieve the throne? If that's the case, then why does Macbeth hesitate? Why does he change his mind, then change his mind again?
Any of these motivations of ambition, fear, or love, or all of them at once can be the basis for Macbeth's decision to murder Duncan, and the decisions he makes can be either rational or irrational depending on the circumstances under which he makes those decisions.
One other question: Is deciding to murder another person necessarily an irrational choice in and of itself? Perhaps that question needs to be answered before considering the question of the rationality of Macbeth's choices.

Answer

It is up to an individual audience member to pick specific key choices for this question. Personally, I believe the most important key choice that Macbeth makes throughout the entire play is the choice to commit regicide. Macbeth convinced himself that he was not going to go through with the plan. He likes Duncan, and he knows that Duncan is a good king. He knows that the right thing to do is be patient. If the throne is truly meant for him, it will happen in due time.

We will proceed no further in this business:He hath honour'd me of late; and I have boughtGolden opinions from all sorts of people,Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,Not cast aside so soon.

Unfortunately, Lady Macbeth weakens his resolve with a speech loaded with insults and vivid imagery. This allows Macbeth's ambition for power to overcome his morality. I would could that irrational. Audiences can put all the blame that they want on Lady Macbeth, but she isn't the person that actually kills Duncan. Macbeth's action leads to the mental deterioration of his wife, it leads to more murders, and it eventually leads to his own death.

Answer

Macbeth was irrational when he reacted to the witches’ prophecies.  He is pretty sure that they will come true once he gets one of them, and is promoted to Thane of Cawdor.  At that point, he sort of loses his rationality.  When he says that Malcolm is a step he needs to overleap or fall down on, he is being irrational.

Macbeth

Macbeth's choices and consequences: What are some key choices in Macbeth (plus quotes) that show the irrational side of human nature and their consequences?

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