Macbeth – The Tragic Hero
It’s one thing to easily get tempted by something, but another thing to ruin yourself to get it. This particular statement is a great way to describe Macbeth – a tragic hero in Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. Macbeth is a character driven by passion and ambition for one thing – power, but this is only charged after hearing a prophecy by the 3 evil witches. Based upon Aristotle’s theory, a tragic hero must follow specific characteristics which define a tragic hero as follows; a character in a tragedy who inevitably causes his/her own downfall. Macbeth is defined as the tragic hero of this play as he goes through 3 major phases starting with him being renowned and prosperous, realizing his tragic flaw, and then going …show more content…
The play starts by introducing him as a very noble person who has just helped Scotland win the battle against Norway, and upon his return, King Duncan says the following, “O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!”(1.2.24). This quote allows the understanding that Macbeth is very noble and has a good reputation, especially having a king say that it would be assumed that the kings knows best. Macbeth has earned the title of the Thane of Glamis, and he is soon going to be named the Thane of Cawdor as said in the following quote, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter!”(1.3.49-51). Macbeth is given a lot of respect and is considered to be very honorable in the starting of the …show more content…
Macbeth has an unchecked ambition that is misguided by his wife, Lady Macbeth, which leads him into the first murder of King Duncan. “I have no spur, to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other” (1.7.25-28). Macbeth explains how he really has no good reason to kill Duncan but instead the reality is that he wants the power for himself which the only reason to kill him. As it is said that the first murder is always the hardest, Macbeth tends to have no fear and is instead guided by the influence of killing for what he wants. Unfortunately, Macbeth’s unchecked ambition is what guides him into 3 other murders, but combining with his tragic flaw is the witch’s prophecy which states the following, “No man that’s born of woman shall e'er have power upon thee” (5.3.6-7). This makes Macbeth believe that he has the power to kill anyone as it is not possible that someone that is not born of a woman can kill him. Along with this, Hecate, a witch, is angry at the three witches for playing with Macbeth’s emotions, but tells them to continue to tell him lies and guide him with false prophecies which will lead to him to his own
It’s one thing to easily get tempted by something, but another thing to ruin yourself to get it. This particular statement is a great way to describe Macbeth – a tragic hero in Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. Macbeth is a character driven by passion and ambition for one thing – power, but this is only charged after hearing a prophecy by the 3 evil witches. Based upon Aristotle’s theory, a tragic hero must follow specific characteristics which define a tragic hero as follows; a character in a tragedy who inevitably causes his/her own downfall. Macbeth is defined as the tragic hero of this play as he goes through 3 major phases starting with him being renowned and prosperous, realizing his tragic flaw, and then going …show more content…
The play starts by introducing him as a very noble person who has just helped Scotland win the battle against Norway, and upon his return, King Duncan says the following, “O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!”(1.2.24). This quote allows the understanding that Macbeth is very noble and has a good reputation, especially having a king say that it would be assumed that the kings knows best. Macbeth has earned the title of the Thane of Glamis, and he is soon going to be named the Thane of Cawdor as said in the following quote, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter!”(1.3.49-51). Macbeth is given a lot of respect and is considered to be very honorable in the starting of the …show more content…
Macbeth has an unchecked ambition that is misguided by his wife, Lady Macbeth, which leads him into the first murder of King Duncan. “I have no spur, to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other” (1.7.25-28). Macbeth explains how he really has no good reason to kill Duncan but instead the reality is that he wants the power for himself which the only reason to kill him. As it is said that the first murder is always the hardest, Macbeth tends to have no fear and is instead guided by the influence of killing for what he wants. Unfortunately, Macbeth’s unchecked ambition is what guides him into 3 other murders, but combining with his tragic flaw is the witch’s prophecy which states the following, “No man that’s born of woman shall e'er have power upon thee” (5.3.6-7). This makes Macbeth believe that he has the power to kill anyone as it is not possible that someone that is not born of a woman can kill him. Along with this, Hecate, a witch, is angry at the three witches for playing with Macbeth’s emotions, but tells them to continue to tell him lies and guide him with false prophecies which will lead to him to his own