Macbeth: The Tragic Hero

William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, written in the 1600’s is a perfect example of Shakespeare’s ability to manipulate his audience through creating a tragic hero. A tragic hero who, because of a flaw, tumbles from a well-respected hero to a cowardless murderer. It is through Shakespeare’s manipulation of figurative language, dramatic conventions and social expectations of the seventeenth century, do the audience witness the demise of this mixed up man. Macbeth’s persona of the tragic hero is enhanced even more when the characters around him influence his decisions, creating mayhem inside his mind and disorder throughout Scotland. Shakespeare positions his audience to respond to the central theme: the struggle between good and evil, by illustrating to the audience his weaknesses, which through the guidance of the supernatural, leads to murder and mayhem and eventually madness.

In the play, Macbeth is of nobility, and experiences an epiphany as a result of his actions. Not only that, he has a specific tragic flaw and goes through a downfall which later results in his death. Because of these characteristics, Macbeth is a famous tragic hero.

A tragic hero should at some point reach the top of Fortune’s Wheel, but land up at the bottom by the end of the tragedy due to the continual change of fate. Macbeth fits the description of being a tragic hero, displaying his strengths, his weaknesses, his tragic flaw, and how influential outside influences are on him. Lady Macbeth is delineated as the villain in Macbeth because of her evil, mischievous, formidable temperament. Lady Macbeth is in a position to simply manipulate her husband whereas Macbeth solely thinks he's doing the heroic factor to become king. Macbeth is a tragic hero who causes suffering by committing murder and distress, exemplifying the negative effects of a bloodthirsty desire for power.

Macbeth was one of Shakespeare's most tragic heros. He had flaws and weaknesses, he was very noble but lost his good qualities through the play. He was brave and a courageous noble man who got corrupted by superstition, Love, and overwhelming enthusiasm. Three points that contributed to Macbeths decay are first the prophecy that was told by the three witches, Lady Macbeth's influence and manipulation, and finally Macbeths long going enthusiasm to be king. He might of been the courageous hero at the beginning of the play but progressed in a downward spiral which caused his condemnation, and made him into a tragic hero.

Now, Tybalt, take thy villain back again That late thou gavest me, ... ... middle of paper ... ... is a delusion created for the sole intention of concealing the truth and the explanation for his impetuous nature; once again, he is found guilty of the death of both himself and Juliet. The evidence is overwhelming; Romeo’s impetuousness is undeniably responsible for his and Juliet’s death. It is this tragic flaw no his nature that indicates him as a tragic hero, rather than the pawn of fate he declares himself to be. Throughout Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, his rash and impulsive nature and hubris are made crystal clear, revealing the consequences of his hast actions and how they influenced both his own and Juliet’s decisions. His tendency to blame fate to atone for his actions directly correlates to his nature and which ultimately, classifies him as a tragic hero.

Macbeth conforms to the image of the tragic hero by possessing a flaw and dying because of it. His flaw of being led too easily is evident through the actions of characters who influence Macbeth. Macbeth is involved in a story tangled with evil, disorder, conflict and failure which all resulting finally in his death. These factors of the play let Macbeth to fit all the characteristics of a tragic hero He is an important character in the play, has a character flaw, has good qualities, has someone to tempt him, deserves his fate, and was punished for the multiple crimes which he has committed. To me, Macbeth definitely is the tragic hero of the play

When a character’s ambition goes unchecked by moral constraints, unfortunate consequences such as the suffering of others are inevitable, rendering him a tragic hero. One’s ambition is ever-changing and therefore extremely volatile; it can be dramatically influenced by both internal and external sources. Although ambition is usually considered to be an admirable trait, it is able to catalyze both positive or negative acts. In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Macbeth, the protagonist, Macbeth, is portrayed as a tragic hero who, due to unhealthy sense of ambition, acts as an instrument of the suffering of the other characters by leading them to horrible deaths and eventually experiencing a similar demise himself. Macbeth shares the prophecy

Macbeth is the most horrific of Shakespeare’s tragedies because the protagonist commits such bloodthirsty acts. There are heaps of powerful themes, morals and symbolism introduced by Shakespeare to the reader. One of the more meaningful ones was the deterioration of Macbeth, a strong valiant hero with so much promise that ultimately fails and degenerates into a corrupt, merciless tyrant who choices to embraces evil. In general, despite Macbeth’s actions at the beginning of the play; where he quells a military coup against Scotland, his flaws determine his fate. Indeed it can be shown that Macbeth’s pride vulnerability, vaulting ambition, and over confidence brought him to kingship and change the tragic hero into a sinister tyrant, bringing him closer to his death.

Overall, Macbeth is a tragic hero in some eyes of the readers. The readers will see the distractions that take him away from his future being good. Macbeth is going down a tragic path of self-destruction, just so he can be the next King. The readers see his true flaws, by the way he thinks about the situation. Not only is Macbeth going to kill one person, but many others in the distance future.

The presence of supernatural forces in William Shakespeare’s, “Macbeth,” provides for much of the play’s dramatic tension and the mounting suspense. Several supernatural apparitions throughout the play profoundly affect Macbeth and the evil forces eventually claim Macbeth and destroy his morals. Macbeth’s ambition was driven by the prophecies of the three witches and unlike Banquo, he was willing to do anything to assure that they actually transpire. Macbeth is horrified at the notion of killing Duncan, his King and kinsman, but he eventually succumbs to the evil forces and this leads to his downfall. Macbeth further compromises his honor by arranging the murder of his best friend, Banquo.