In Macbeth, the titular character goes through a series of events which put his character through many trials. During these events, Macbeth demonstrates qualities of bravery, heroism, honour and duty, but also faults of murder, betrayal and dark ambition. Some say that in the end, Macbeth was ultimately a heroic character, but on the other hand others say that he was a loathsome one. However, is it possible that he is a mixture of both?
Firstly, Macbeth is clearly capable in battle and loyal to Duncan. In the start of the play in Act I, Macbeth is perceived through the eyes of the other characters as noble and a hero due to his accomplishments in battle. One such remark is “For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name- / Disdaining Fortune, with his brandish’d steel, / Which smok’d with bloody execution, / Like Valour’s minion carv’d out his passage” (I, ii, 16-19). From this we can see that Macbeth is clearly able to fight, demonstrating his battle ability and heroism in battle. This also gives the impression that he fights for his king to the best of his ability.
Secondly, Macbeth knows the difference between right and wrong, enforcing his heroic character. An example of this is before he assassinates King Duncan. Before doing the deed, Macbeth mentions that “First, as I am his kinsman and subject, / Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, / Who should against his murderer shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself.” (I, vii, 13-16) and that Duncan is a great king to his people. Macbeth takes into account the consequences of him killing the king, what the king has done for the country and why he should be protecting and not harming him. These factors enforce his heroicness because they show that Macbeth has a consci...
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...4). Considering all this, we can see that he would rather die a honourable death on the battlefield rather than kissing Malcolm’s feet, which is a heroic trait. On the other hand, his comment on his wife’s death demonstrates that he knew she was bound to die someday and he does not care, despite being his wife. His statement after killing the Young Siward also shows his hatred and overconfidence present just because of the prophecies that were fulfilled before.
In conclusion, Macbeth is ultimately a mixture of both, with his heroic aspects more evident in some parts of the story and his loathsome aspects more evident in others. His heroism is shown by his battle capabilities, rationality, courage and honour while his loathsomeness is shown by his ambition, horrifying acts of violence, tyrannical rule as a king and scorn.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William "Macbeth"
Comparing Macbeth to a tragic hero would be like comparing Spiderman to Venom. Although Spiderman was the hero in the beginning, he had a bad side too. This is much like Macbeth in the beginning of the story. He went against his wife and did not want to kill until she finally got into his head and convinced him that it was the only way for him to receive the throne. Now, is Macbeth a tragic hero? No. Macbeth is not a tragic hero due to the fact that tragic heros always learn from their mistake and always undergo some sort of meaningful suffering; Macbeth did neither.
The major character traits of Macbeth were his ambition (desire for power) and his utter ruthlessness in his pursuit of that power. Although Macbeth did not commit any mass murders I would compare him to one of the really brutal dictators of the 20th century Adolf Hitler. Who was responsible for the deaths of millions including six million Jewish people in the Nazi genocide. Both of the men had someone who stood behind them throughout their entire reign, and prior to it. For Hitler it was Ms. Eva Braun and for Macbeth, his Lady Both Hitler and Macbeth were willing to kill as many people as necessary to achieve the goal of Totalitarian. Macbeth was even willing to kill one of his closest friends in order to obtain this title.
“O worthiest cousin, the sin of my gratitude even now was heavy on me!”(I. i. 347) the king cannot repay him for what he has done for their kingdom. Macbeth is a highly respected warrior because he is loyal, trusted, and honest man. Macbeth is a vulnerable man; he is weak. Letting other people make decisions for him, he becomes more incapable of resisting how people will view him as a “loyal” soldier since he cannot follow through. In the film Macbeth the setting is right in the middle of war. Macbeth has held the enemy facing him, but he hesitates and looks at his soldiers for the okay to kill the enemy. With that being said, he is seriously self conscious and lets others makes the decisions for him. Before he is going to kill King Duncan, he speaks to himself in the If soliloquy. “If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well It were done quickly.”(I. vii. 343) in this quote it shows that he is truly evil since he wants it done quick and easy.
Macbeth still has some good in him before he commits his first murder. His constant struggle to decide if he will kill the king shows he still has a conscious. He feels Duncan is a good leader, and as his kings men he is supposed to protect Duncan. Macbeth at this part of the play is too virtuous to betray him in such a manner. He also fears the...
Macbeth was not evil he was just a man struggling with his identity and trying to be something he was not. He new nothing other than how to be a soldier and he was good at it. In the end he realised it was the only way he could win his battle. “I’ll fight till from me bones me flesh be hacked. Give me my armour.” 5:3:33. Even though Macbeth had become hated and thought of as a tyrant to others he had won his own battle. This becomes clear when at the end of the play Macbeth feels proud to say “My name’s Macbeth.” 5:8:6.
In the beginning of Macbeth we know that our protagonist is a well-fought soldier who was renowned for his competence in battle. He was well equipped with sword and shield and like any soldier, was capable of killing another for the sake of his life or for the glory and protection of his country. Macbeth is similar
In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is seen as a brave general of Duncan’s army because he had triumphed with victory over the traitor Macdonwald. A Soldier, who has fought alongside with Macbeth states “For brave Macbeth –well he deserves that name --/ Disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel” (1.2.17-18.) The soldier’s message makes the reader develop a positive first impression for Macbeth, since his bravery is being praised. Later, when Macbeth first encounters the three witches with Banquo, he is told that he will be King of Scotland after the third witch says “All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter” (1.3.53.) Macbeth believes the witches and says to himself aside “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical/.../ If chance will have me king, why, change may crown me.”(1.3.149-155.) He immediately thinks of killing Duncan to become king, his impression of a brave general completely change. This shows that although Macbeth has the power to bring justice and proper order while fighting for Duncan’s army, he chooses not to and instead uses his power for injustice and he own needs.
In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, the main character Macbeth is labeled as either a tragic hero or a villain. A tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgement error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction. A villain is the bad guy of the story. They are the ones who come up with a diabolical plot to somehow cause harm or ruin (“Literary Terms.”). As of now where we are at in the play, it seems as if Macbeth is a character who does reckless things but intends to do the right thing. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is faithfully serving the king by slaying the enemies who try to invade the great land of Scotland. Although selfish by killing King Duncan, his righteous morals and servant attitude says otherwise in the
Macbeth is put together with many character traits. He is a very complex character. In the beginning Macbeth was brave and loyal. He won the battle of Norway and became the Thane of Cawdor. For brave Macbeth disdainding fortune with his brandished steel which smoked with bloody execution( ACT1 SC2 LNS18-20). Macbeth is also a gullible man, when he runs into the witches he believes them when they say, all hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter(act1 sn2 line 50) . He is so gullible to what these witches said that he killed his best friend Banquo and nearly kills Banquo's son. Macbeth also was convinced by his wife to kill Duncan. Macbeth conscious becomes guilty after he kills Duncan when he said, will all great neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?(act2 sn2 lines 79-80). He is thinking that nothing can take back the murders he had committed.
In Act 1, Macbeth is a brave and noble soldier ready to die for his king, Duncan. He is considered a hero after taking a leading role in defeating the invading army. We know this from his defeat of Macdonwald and the Norwegian king. King Duncan was thrilled with this victory and decides to make Macbeth his new Thane of Cawdor. In Act 1, scene 2 Macbeths victory is recognized recognition and status and he is praised by the captain. "For brave Macbeth,-well he deserves that name...."Macbeth is presented as a brave man who led King Duncan 's forces to victory. Shakespeare creates an impression to the audience of Macbeth as a servant of bravery as the word "brave" suggests he is very loyal and noble . His brutality in the battlefield revealed his courageousness and that is why the Captain calls Macbeth ‘ brave Macbeth’. This shows the respect and status Macbeth has gained which portrays him as a very heroic character. kings
Macbeth is not outstanding and virtuous because someone who needs to brutally kill someone else to get what they want does not fit the characteristics of a hero. He does many things wrong. Macbeth's over-zealousness for political power leads him to the murder of Duncan, the assassination of Banquo, and finally to the slaughter of Macduff's family. These events urge the uprising that eventually costs Macbeth his crown and his life, not to mention the wife he loses along the way (Studer 1). Worst of all, Macbeth disturbs the balance of nature. If he had just waited for his time, he would have been king, and have had a chance to enjoy it.
Initially, Macbeth is a confident man battle-hardened and fearless. He cuts an enemy “from naval to jaw” in battle and seeks to gain glory and power. The captain says, “fear brave Macbeth,” and well he deserved that name. Macbeth is a great warrior and never would consider a murderous act before Lady Macbeth’s interference. The witches’ prophesies do not seem feasible to him at first so he does not act upon them. Lady Macbeth is a wicked woman who does much to affect Macbeth’s overall character.
Macbeth is a brave man who is not naturally inclined to perform evil deeds, yet he desperately wants and desires power and succession. At the end, he is not happy with what he has accomplished, "I am afraid to think what I have done; look on `t again I dare not" (Shakespeare Macbeth 2.2.51-52). He kills Duncan against his own logical judgement and later drowns in paranoia and guilt. Macbeth is led to wicked thoughts by the prophecies of the three witches, especially after the witches' prophecy that he will be made Thane of Cawdor comes true. Macbeth is a powerful man and...
Before being transformed into a murderous monster, Macbeth is a model Scottish noble. He shows great loyalty and devotion to both King Duncan and his country in his fight against the Scottish rebels. He also fights with great courage, which he draws from knowing that he serves a good and virtuous cause. He is modest when confronted with his achievements, in contrast to the arrogance that he displays after becoming king. He loves Lady Macbeth, an emotion he will eventually lose by the end of the play. Most of all, he fears what his greed and ambition can lead him to become, and he feels dubious about acting on them.
Macbeth can be considered a Shakespearean tragic hero because he possesses the tragic flaw of ambition. He is thought of to be a very ambitious man by himself and other characters, like his wife, Lady Macbeth. “Thou wouldst be great:/Art not without ambition, but/ Without ...