There are several potential incidents that could be identified as Macbeth’s tragic flaw. Such incidents include his belief in the Weird Sisters’ prophecy, his slaughter of Duncan and his misled judgement to listen to Lady Macbeth. However, I think Macbeth’s tragic flaw is not his simply being persuaded by Lady Macbeth to kill Duncan, but rather, his frail masculinity. While the prophecy had been the initial source igniting Macbeth’s ambition, the idea of becoming king through immoral means was one that disturbs him. “We still have judgement here” (1.7.8) suggests his moral values that it is not right murder Duncan despite his own bubbling desire. Same goes for the murder of Duncan where he is shell-shocked from having “done the deed” (2.2.14)
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However, his time as a tragic hero is only to the extent of the beginning of the play and he gradually turns into a villain towards the end of it. As mentioned by Lady Macbeth in 1.5.16, Macbeth is “too full o’th’milk of human kindness”, and as we observe in 2.2.56 - 62, he is guilt ridden by his actions. If he chooses not to murder Duncan, Lady Macbeth further emasculates him, calling him a “coward” (1.7.43). Macbeth’s cowardice is also evident when he hallucinates and sees Banquo’s ghost (“Are you a man?” [3.4.58-59]), where he seems to bear some, at least, subconscious guilt in his fear of it. For one to feel regret or fear of his own deeds can hardly be called a villain as he retains some sort of moral conscious. It is during these moments of remorse that we can feel sympathy for Macbeth. Yet, Macbeth was blindsided by his own conception of masculinity and his inability to be a cold-blooded ‘man’ that pushes him to becoming the manic villain. The point of irredeemable evil for Macbeth was when he orders for the death of Macduff’s family in 4.1 and 4.2. Neither Macduff nor his family were directly in the way of Macbeth’s kingship. While Macduff’s escape to England to find Malcolm, which suggests Macbeth’s forthcoming downfall, the murder of Macduff’s family was nothing but a tyrannical tantrum on Macbeth’s part and one that he shows no remorse
However, his time as a tragic hero is only to the extent of the beginning of the play and he gradually turns into a villain towards the end of it. As mentioned by Lady Macbeth in 1.5.16, Macbeth is “too full o’th’milk of human kindness”, and as we observe in 2.2.56 - 62, he is guilt ridden by his actions. If he chooses not to murder Duncan, Lady Macbeth further emasculates him, calling him a “coward” (1.7.43). Macbeth’s cowardice is also evident when he hallucinates and sees Banquo’s ghost (“Are you a man?” [3.4.58-59]), where he seems to bear some, at least, subconscious guilt in his fear of it. For one to feel regret or fear of his own deeds can hardly be called a villain as he retains some sort of moral conscious. It is during these moments of remorse that we can feel sympathy for Macbeth. Yet, Macbeth was blindsided by his own conception of masculinity and his inability to be a cold-blooded ‘man’ that pushes him to becoming the manic villain. The point of irredeemable evil for Macbeth was when he orders for the death of Macduff’s family in 4.1 and 4.2. Neither Macduff nor his family were directly in the way of Macbeth’s kingship. While Macduff’s escape to England to find Malcolm, which suggests Macbeth’s forthcoming downfall, the murder of Macduff’s family was nothing but a tyrannical tantrum on Macbeth’s part and one that he shows no remorse