The Importance Of Tragic Hero In Macbeth

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A hero of a high and/or valued position becomes a tragic hero when he or she inherits unfair misery. This is due to the tragic flaw (a significant fault or error) of the hero, which is a flaw of not wanting to stay submissive to what the hero sees a potential takedown of his or her dignity and correct status. The tragic flaws result in the hero to be the victim of a “total reversal of fortune” or downfall which provokes feelings of “pity and fear.” The “total reversal of fortune” will be huge and not expect as it usually will have the tragic hero dead. According to Professor Andrew Bradley, “the tragic hero suffers due to some taint arising out of goodness.” What professor Bradley is saying is a tragic hero suffers because some out of portion This will result in Macbeth rule Scotland as a tyrant until he is killed. Macbeth is a tragic hero according to the definition of Aristotle as he meets the definition and criteria of one. Macbeth was a hero of a high and valued position as he was the Thane of Cawdor as he fought bravely in the battle in Act I and his loyalty to King Duncan. He had the tragic flaw of vaulting ambition. The tragic flaw of vaulting ambition results to be king through killing King Duncan which makes him the victim of “total reversal of fortune” or downfall which provokes feelings such as that of pity, fear and As well, regret that an up and coming good person will have such terrible end: “What a pity that things should have gone this way, that things should be this way,” and the regret of seeing a destruction of a morally compassionate and emotionally and intellectually fascinating person (Booth). There are many instances in Macbeth where one feels pity for Macbeth throughout the play. For example, one can feel pity for him when he contemplates murdering Macbeth as he says, “I am his kinsman, and his subject, strong both against the deed (I. vii. 14-15).” After, Lady Macbeth goes after Macbeth’s manhood, him being too nice and not being brave enough as such portrayed in her lines “.” Thus, it seems as though without her manipulation, Macbeth would not have killed King Duncan. In the dagger soliloquy of Macbeth (I. vii. 1-28), one can feel pity for Macbeth as he is suffering and pained for the action he is about to take in killing Kind Duncan. Again, even though after Macbeth killed Banquo, one must still have sympathy as Banquo was a threat to his throne

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