Praewpetch Unakul
Miss Farrah Collette
IB English A Language and Literature Standard Level Year 2
14 November 2015
Macbeth as A Tragic Hero
“Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.” - Macbeth (2.1.63-64) Many of Shakespeare’s works are considered as ‘Shakespearean Tragedy” with the protagonists as ‘Tragic Hero’. A character is a prominent noble defected in some way and the flaw causes his downfall. After the punishment of his own action, he comes to a new sense of awareness. Usually this tragedy leaves traces on the audience – the audience ‘catharsis’. Macbeth exhibits the features of being a ‘Tragic Hero’ through the use of literary devices; mainly allusion, lexical field, and foreshadowing, in …show more content…
He thinks that murder is the only way he will gain the throne. The soliloquy comprises multiple foreshadowing. “The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee:” (2.1.34) the handle of dagger points toward Macbeth’s hand foreshadows that eventually Macbeth will stab Duncan to death with the dagger “And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood.” (2.1.46) Shakespeare decided to use dagger as a tool of committing this crime because stabbing will create a lot of blood, proving the blood thirst of Macbeth. This line also triggers the thought whether Macbeth is ‘forced’ to kill Duncan (the blood is already on the blade of dagger) as a part of the prophecies of the witches (destiny) or he is creating his own faith. Is the hallucination foreshadows his faith or is it an imaginary of Macbeth to persuade himself to take an action? Shakespeare tied a complex knot and left it in the audience mind: to keep the audience following the story. Another foreshadowing is “Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going” (2.1.42). It indicates that Macbeth chooses to walk the evil path and open its entrance by eliminating Duncan. He will never have a chance to come back again. Later, Macbeth will struggle to retain his power. Thus, he will resolve by killing more and more people. This will create a catastrophe in Scotland: “Now o’er the one half-world nature seems dead, and wicked dream abuse the curtained sleep.” (2.1.49-51) Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will deceive everyone about this deadly crime situation. Everyone will believe them and unwillingly consent him to be King of Scotland. The action happens at night while everyone is sleeping so Macbeth is able to hide the truth. Darkness covers for him. However, this hidden truth will finally turn its edge to Macbeth himself. Shakespeare also used the phrase ‘wicked dream’ as a metaphor to portend the reign of Macbeth in the future. The tyrant Macbeth will rule the country and people are going
Miss Farrah Collette
IB English A Language and Literature Standard Level Year 2
14 November 2015
Macbeth as A Tragic Hero
“Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.” - Macbeth (2.1.63-64) Many of Shakespeare’s works are considered as ‘Shakespearean Tragedy” with the protagonists as ‘Tragic Hero’. A character is a prominent noble defected in some way and the flaw causes his downfall. After the punishment of his own action, he comes to a new sense of awareness. Usually this tragedy leaves traces on the audience – the audience ‘catharsis’. Macbeth exhibits the features of being a ‘Tragic Hero’ through the use of literary devices; mainly allusion, lexical field, and foreshadowing, in …show more content…
He thinks that murder is the only way he will gain the throne. The soliloquy comprises multiple foreshadowing. “The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee:” (2.1.34) the handle of dagger points toward Macbeth’s hand foreshadows that eventually Macbeth will stab Duncan to death with the dagger “And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood.” (2.1.46) Shakespeare decided to use dagger as a tool of committing this crime because stabbing will create a lot of blood, proving the blood thirst of Macbeth. This line also triggers the thought whether Macbeth is ‘forced’ to kill Duncan (the blood is already on the blade of dagger) as a part of the prophecies of the witches (destiny) or he is creating his own faith. Is the hallucination foreshadows his faith or is it an imaginary of Macbeth to persuade himself to take an action? Shakespeare tied a complex knot and left it in the audience mind: to keep the audience following the story. Another foreshadowing is “Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going” (2.1.42). It indicates that Macbeth chooses to walk the evil path and open its entrance by eliminating Duncan. He will never have a chance to come back again. Later, Macbeth will struggle to retain his power. Thus, he will resolve by killing more and more people. This will create a catastrophe in Scotland: “Now o’er the one half-world nature seems dead, and wicked dream abuse the curtained sleep.” (2.1.49-51) Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will deceive everyone about this deadly crime situation. Everyone will believe them and unwillingly consent him to be King of Scotland. The action happens at night while everyone is sleeping so Macbeth is able to hide the truth. Darkness covers for him. However, this hidden truth will finally turn its edge to Macbeth himself. Shakespeare also used the phrase ‘wicked dream’ as a metaphor to portend the reign of Macbeth in the future. The tyrant Macbeth will rule the country and people are going