"Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind" (William Shakespeare). Suspicion arises from the very beginning of Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, starting with the opening scene, where the witches imply that nothing is what it seems. This suspicion continues throughout this tragedy, causing murder after murder. But whose guilty mind is suspicion haunting? One could argue that many own the guilty mind, but this play clearly shows that Macbeth is the owner. Macbeth is to blame for the many tragedies in this play because his suspicion and ambition causes him to conduct murder after murder. .
Although the witches gave the idea of murdering Duncan to Macbeth, they didn't put the dagger through his heart. Macbeth's ambition for the throne is what caused his insanity. Once he heard there was hope to be king, he was going to do everything possible to make his dream come true. While Banquo shrugged off the prophecies, by letting them take there own course, Macbeth immediately had his mind filled evil intentions. Even though he said, "If chance will have me King, why, / chance may crown me" (1.3.143-144), he later confessed that he will tell what he really thinks in private. "The interim having weighed it, let us speak / Our free hearts each to other" (1.3. 153-154). His ambition to be king is so strong that he can't wait for the prophecies to take their course, he has to be king now, which is proved later when he kills Duncan. .
Once Macbeth is king, suspicion haunts him by believing everyone is out to take away his title. He betrays his own friend, Banquo, by plotting to kill him, and he succeeds but lets Banquo's son, Fleance, get away. Macbeth then becomes furious. As long as Fleance is alive, he fears that his power remains insecure. "But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in / To saucy doubts and fears" (3.4. 25-26). He is even more insecure when he believes he sees Banquo's ghost, a true sign he doubts his actions.
