A tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to their own destruction, our hero gains insight into his tragic, fatal flaw albeit too late. Macbeth is unable to accept things as they are thus being his tragic flaw, his fall from grace and his tragedy. The idea that Macbeth accepts or he willingly and blindly go along with things can easily be questioned throughout the play, and each character trait suggests a different outcome to this statement. Macbeth refuses to accept things as they are essentially referring to Macbeth being governed by his unrestrained ambition. However, Macbeth is also forced to face the pushing of fate and the consequences of the supernatural which support his acceptance of his life. While he ultimately made the final decision regarding his actions, Macbeth 's vaulting ambition gets the best of him and he refuses to accept things as they are. He is so focused on what he doesn 't have that he neglects what he does. Macbeth 's ambition terrifies him and for good reason his ambition which “o’erleaps itself / And falls on th’other-” is unchecked, too powerful and instrumental in his ‘rise’ and fall as a…
The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a classic representation of a Shakespearean masterpiece. An Aristotelian tragic hero is someone of noble status who has a tragic flaw and his (or her) personality suffers a fall from grace due to that tragic flaw, only to redeem a small measure of that lost nobility through self-awareness. In this drama Macbeth is given the main role. He is a noble war hero who experiences a tragic flaw. Macbeth undoubtedly fits the definition of a tragic hero…
An Aristotelian tragic hero can be described as a literary character who makes a decision or performs an action that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction. In some cases, this can be hard to detect as a reader. But, when describing Macbeth from the tragedy, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, a tragic hero is one of the first things that comes to mind. Macbeth is easily a perfect example of an Aristotelian tragic hero because of his noble status his ultimate tragic flaw, his ambitious…
A hero can be defined as a person who is noted for courageous acts and nobility of character. The character of Macbeth is a classic example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. In Shakespeare's Macbeth we see that Macbeth is a man of respectable birth who has inner conflicts, and a strong background which leads us to see the qualities of a tragic hero. For example, madness can be described as an internal and tragic characteristic of Macbeth. This plays a significant factor in the decline and downfall…
Every hero has a flaw. The Random House Dictionary defines a tragic flaw as “the character defect that causes the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy”1. Every epic poem needs a tragic hero with a flaw in order to create a conflict. Tragic flaws add depth and realism to a fiction story. Playwright William Shakespeare is famous for using this very concept and applying it to the heroes in his works. In his play, Macbeth, Shakespeare develops the concept of a tragic hero as the story unravels.…
In the play of Macbeth written by William Shakespeare in the 19th century, there are numerous situations and scenarios throughout the story that lead to classifying Macbeth as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is defined as having certain specific characteristics. Throughout the events and happening within the story and through much research, Macbeth seems to be fitting of all the characteristics that defines a tragic hero. Not only is this identification of being a tragic hero only seen in the plays…
The great Aristotle describes a tragic hero as having, among other characteristics: excessive pride, status, good fortune, and a fatal flaw that brings this fortune to an end. (Aristotle) In life, but especially in stories, we encounter tragic heroes, and Macbeth by William Shakespeare is an example of one such story. Macbeth’s tragic hero is particularly heroic and particularly tragic. The title character, Macbeth is incredibly prideful as seen when he trusts the witches. He is also of high…
The Tragic Hero in Macbeth Humans possess the gift of free will and the ability to make decisions, yet it is the consequence of these choices that determine one’s future. The story of Macbeth by William Shakespeare tells the tale of a virtuous thane’s transformation into a ruthless king. Driven by his lust for power, Macbeth becomes king by means of murder, forcing him down a path of wickedness as his conscience continuously deteriorates. In this story, Macbeth would be considered a…
Shakespeare introduces Macbeth to us before he physically enters the play through descriptions of his valour by others *****quotes about his bravery*****. All this greatness of character however is quickly shadowed when we are presented with a fatal flaw in Macbeth when he receives the prophecies from the witches. Here is when Macbeth’s longing ambition and power hunger seem to conquer his thoughts. These thoughts eventually bring about his tragic downfall. Shakespeare depicts this flaw greatly…
The Uphill Ride on the Hills of Scotland Macbeth, a character in Macbeth by William Shakespeare, possesses many aspects for a tragic hero. The standard characteristics of a tragic hero reflect that they must be a person of noble stature, they must have greatness, because they are not perfect, their downfall is often attributed with a tragic flaw of their own; however, their imminent downfall is not a complete loss as there is some increase in awareness or personal gain in that flaw. At the…