A Shakespearean tragic hero may be defined as “an exceptional being of high degree” who contributes to his own degeneration and illustrates a personality flaw. The character of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is in all ways the perfect example of a tragic hero. His greatness and bravery in battle for his country ultimately leads him to be a great thane and eventually a powerful king, making his actions have a significant impact on a country. Macbeth’s ambition on becoming a king leads to an obsession to remain in his current position. His ambition comes to a point where he falls to the temptation of evil which leads to Macbeth’s inevitable downfall. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a brave man whose performance in Scotland’s battle is celebrated. This is clearly evident from the courage in defense of Scotland in the opening scene. A wounded solider describes Macbeth’s actions as “Cannons overcharg’d with double cracks ... Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe” Act 1, scene 2, line 37-39 With such positive feedback from the battle, King Duncan can not help but be joyous towards Macbeth and his soldiers. His response to the valiant news is giving him a title which upbrings him from his present position “No more thane of Cawdor shall deceive ... and with his former title greet Macbeth... What hath lost noble Macbeth hath won” Before the hearing of his new title, Macbeth as well as his partner Banquo encounter three witches who give Macbeth a look of what his future beholds. With each word spoken from the witches, the importance he holds for Scotland increases. From Thane of Glamis, to Thane of Cawdor and eventually the all and mighty king. With all the praises he receives and learning about his new title, Macbeth’s ambition to become a powerful king can not help but rises. Macbeth wins a battle and proves loyal to Duncan, however his ambition to become King is too strong to keep his morals. When his ambition is associated with the witch’s prophecies, his morals become non-existent for he is easily persuaded into what he wants to hear. For a moment Macbeth’s ambition takes over, when the thought of killing Duncan comes across his mind, however morality takes over. “Why do I yield to such suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair... If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, without my stir” In spite of this, Macbeth’s moral decision is clouded by his ambition once again when he hears of Malcolm’s succession to the throne.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shakespeare's macbeth is a tragic hero who contributes to his own degeneration and illustrates personality flaws. his greatness and bravery in battle for his country ultimately leads him to become powerful king.
- Analyzes how macbeth's courage in defense of scotland is evident in the opening scene. a wounded soldier describes his actions as "cannons overcharg'd with double cracks... doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe."
- Analyzes how macbeth's ambition to become a powerful king rises with each word spoken from the witches.
- Analyzes how macbeth's moral decision is clouded by his ambition when he hears of malcolm’s succession to the throne.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth decides it's time to get rid of the person that’s keeping him from the throne. his crave for power and moral weakness lead him to evil suggestion which inevitably lead to his downfall.
- Analyzes how macbeth makes the mistake of relying solely on the witches prophecies.
- Analyzes how macbeth's ill-fated decision proves to be his last. he misinterpreted his own power into believing he was invincible. his ambition and belief in the witches prophecies brought him to his tragic end.
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- Shakespeare's Macbeth as Tragic Heroanalytical essayA tragic hero is usually a person of high esteem or social ranking cursed with a flaw or obsession that will eventually lead to their demise. Macbeth is a tragic hero. Examining the events that occur as Macbeth travels the typical path of a tragic hero easily supports this claim.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that macbeth is a tragic hero, and examines the events that occur as he travels his typical path. duncan and ross speak of his greatness.
- Analyzes how macbeth's obsession with his destiny turns into the flaw that hurtles him to his demise.
- Analyzes how macbeth is convinced that he should murder duncan in order to take the position of king.
- Analyzes how the audience learns of the army that is getting together against macbeth led by malcolm in scene 6 of act 3.
- Describes how macbeth runs out to the battlefield to fight with malcolm's army in his last attempt at greatness.
- Analyzes how macbeth realizes his end is near when he learns that macduff was not born from a woman but instead from his mother's womb.
- Narrates shakespeare's "macbeth." the complete works of shakespeare, ed. david bevington.
689 wordsRead More - Macbethanalytical essayThe William Shakespeare play ³Macbeth,² depicted Macbeth as a loyal subject of King Duncan and his homeland of Scotland. Duncan was so pleased with Macbeth¹s actions during the war that he was named the Thane of Cawdor, a title not far from king. Soon after, he wrote a letter to his wife that would make his future blood stained. Macbeth told her about the possibility of becoming king and in-turn hooked her on the idea. She then did everything in her power to give Macbeth the crown of Scotland.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how macbeth was a loyal subject of king duncan and his homeland of scotland. he was named the thane of cawdor.
- Analyzes how duncan1s gratitude for the deeds of macbeth was displayed when he announced, 3would thou hadst less deserved, that the proportion of thanks and payment might have been mine!
- Analyzes how macbeth hints at his ambition to be king in a letter to his wife. he believed they might be right about him replacing duncan.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth feels that he will become king, but is too full of kindness to kill duncan. she decides to talk him into doing the deed.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth's plan to kill the king was the first implication that murder would give him his crown. he was not happy with the plan and sternly insisted that it come to an end.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth chastises duncan and banquo for degrading his manhood. she convinces him that she would have killed her own baby if she was in his position.
- Explains that macbeth's life was filled with guilt, fear, and craziness because of the one letter to lady. his ambition to be king was blown out of proportion.
1068 wordsRead More - macbethanalytical essayShakespeare draws an amazing psychological portrait of a man who became a villain by means of ambition, desire and an imbalance of good and evil. “Macbeth” is a play composed of the disintegration of a noble man’s world. The play begins by offering the audience Macbeth, a war hero, with a high regard from Duncan, the king of Scotland. By the end of the play Macbeth transforms into a universally despised man without a place in the social community. Shakespeare draws an amazing face of a man made to be a villain by ambition, desire and an imbalance of good and evil.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how dramatic irony assists in the interests of the audience as it keeps them guessing as to which side of macbeth’s imbalance will prevail.
- Analyzes how shakespeare draws an amazing psychological portrait of a man made to be villain by means of ambition, desire, and an imbalance of good and evil.
- Analyzes how shakespeare uses macbeth's ambitions to create irony, in that his ambition brought him to power, yet it also led to his tragic downfall.
- Analyzes how shakespeare uses this scene to demonstrate to the audience that macbeth's conscious act of knowing that his desires are immoral and still acting upon them proves him quite the villain.
- Analyzes how shakespeare portrays macbeth as a villain brought to life by ambition, desire, and an imbalance of good and evil.
694 wordsRead More - Macbeth's Desire For Poweranalytical essayFirstly, he defeats his enemies. Next he is praised by the other soldiers and King Duncan appoints him as the Thane. For example, if a person desires for a manager title, the person will work hard to earn it, and it is possible that other workers will see this and boost the chief individual’s desire. It is from here that the person might think they deserve the title and look for more power. Similarly, Macbeth must have thought somewhere in his mind to be king. In the book Witches’ Caldron: a study of motive in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Dr. K.C. Mathur says that although the witches did prophesy he would be king and even boosted his desire “They did not create the thought of murder of King Duncan. It was Macbeth’s own latent ambition embodying his power drive and seeking affirmation that invites the witches.” (Witches Caldron, 6) Dr. Mathur also says “Macbeth had acquired this status and it is not surprising that he thinks of achieving higher status by being aggressive and domineering. It is this psychological impulse that is projected in his ambition for the crown and not any criminal instinct or latent evil.” (6) There was a negative environment of witches and the association of Lady Macbeth around Macbeth which influenced him to murder. The environment creates a huge part in the play and if he had a good environment it is possible that he would have remained loyal to King
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how lady macbeth is a loving wife who will think the best for her husband by providing support regardless of the path is right or wrong.
- Analyzes how macbeth's power arises in two ways: he defeats his enemies, is praised by the other soldiers, and king duncan appoints him as the thane.
- Analyzes how macbeth's ambition to be king is good because most people have goals and want to accomplish them but some steer on the right path.
- Analyzes how macbeth is unable to see reality and becomes crazy and guilty after the murder of duncan. his ambition for kingship and power leads to his self-destruction.
- Analyzes how macbeth's strong desire for power is influenced by the three witches in the play and also the planning and ambition of his wife lady.
1584 wordsRead More - Why Is Macbeth A Tragic Heroanalytical essayThroughout the play Macbeth, Macbeth goes from a brave, honored soldier to a crazed tyrant. How does one make such a drastic change? Why did Macbeth come to accept his role as a murderer? Macbeth has come to be known as a tragic hero in today’s terms. A tragic hero is a main character who, throughout the story, realizes his flaw and accepts that he cannot control the outcome of his actions. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth has a lot of situations that ultimately lead to his demise and tragic conclusion.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how macbeth goes to see the three witches again and sees three apparitions; an armed head, bloody child, and a child crowned.
- Analyzes how a tragic hero realizes his flaw and accepts that he cannot control the outcome of his actions. the events leading up to his death were brought about by brainwashing, guilt, and acceptance.
- Analyzes how macbeth changes from a brave, honored soldier to crazed tyrant in shakespeare's play. a tragic hero recognizes his flaw and accepts that he cannot control the outcome of his actions.
- Analyzes how macbeth's poor decision of killing duncan makes him a tragic hero.
1324 wordsRead More - Free Essays - Blind Ambition in Macbethanalytical essayMacbeth, whom initially was a very reasonable and moral man, could not hold off the lure of ambition. This idea is stated in the following passage: "One of the most significant reasons for the enduring critical interest in Macbeth's character is that he represents humankind's universal propensity to temptation and sin. Macbeth's excessive ambition motivates him to murder Duncan, and once the evil act is accomplished, he sets into motion a series of sinister events that ultimately lead to his downfall." (Scott; 236). Macbeth is told by three witches, in a seemingly random and isolated area, that he will become Thank of Cawdor and eventually king. Only before his ambition overpowers his reasoning does he question their motives. One place this questioning takes place is in the following passage:
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how macbeth's reasoning is subverted and undermined by his insatiable ambition. the decision to kill duncan signified his last serious attempt at moral contemplation.
- Analyzes how macbeth's excessive ambition motivates him to murder duncan and sets into motion a series of sinister events that ultimately lead to his downfall.
- Opines that this supernatural soliciting can't be ill, cannot be good. if i'm good, why do i yield to tat suggestion?
- Analyzes how macbeth questions the motives of the witches and the moral implications of killing duncan.
- Opines that duncan is in double trust as he is his kinsman and his subject, and as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door.
- Analyzes how macbeth's ambition is in sharp contrast to banquo, who is more hesitant to accept the witches prophecies.
- Analyzes how banquo speaks this quote immediately after macbeth is told that he will be the new thane of cawdor.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth was overtaken by her ambition as she read the letter sent to her, which spoke of the new title and witches prophecies.
- Concludes that macbeth's reasoning is subverted and undermined by his insatiable ambition, which eventually led to his downfall.
1277 wordsRead More - Macbeth's Corruptionanalytical essayIn the beginning, Macbeth is a strong, brave and noble soldier. He is considered brave by all the people he was fighting around. When the captain is relaying the events of the battle, we find him saying to the king "For brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name" (1.2.16). As a result of Macbeth's actions on the battlefield, Duncan names him Thane of Cawdor in Act one Scene two. From this, we can see that Macbeth is a good soldier. He has no intention of doing anything other than serving the king.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes macbeth's transformation from a noble and brave soldier into the paranoid man named thane of cawdor. he deteriorates from the murders of duncan and banquo, his treatment of macduff
- Analyzes how macbeth is a strong, brave and noble soldier. he is considered brave by all the people he was fighting around. duncan names him thane of cawdor.
- Analyzes how macbeth begins to think about killing duncan and taking the throne by force after meeting with the witches.
- Analyzes how macbeth fears that banquo is going to be a problem for him after murdering duncan. he plans to kill him, though he has made no direct threat against him.
- Analyzes how macbeth sees banquo's ghost at the banquet; he cannot tell the difference between this ghost and reality. he is going between a state of madness and back into the real world.
- Analyzes how macbeth relies on the witches' words, though he knows they are evil, because of what they have done for him before.
- Analyzes how macduff's decision to leave for england shows that macbeth is becoming increasingly corrupt. he kills innocent people to get revenge, including his wife and young son.
- Analyzes how macbeth's kingdom has fallen into total disrepair. people think of him as a bad leader and think he is causing problems for scotland.
- Analyzes how macbeth is loosing his mind and all rationality and begins to make bad decisions. he is used to his state of madness and forgets what it feels like to be afraid.
- Analyzes how macbeth falls a long way from his state of mind in the beginning. he is tempted by the witches, and begins his evil rain of terror by murdering duncan.
1293 wordsRead More - The Roles of Greed and Pride in Shakespeare's Macbethanalytical essayMacbeth begins to defer from his original character when he learns of the witches’ prophecies, which leads him to believe he is fated to be king and to pursue that “destiny.” After the witches make the prophecies, he merely views the thought of himself becoming king as something that “Stands not within the prospect of belief” (I. iii. 77). Macbeth’s disbelief of their claim of him obtaining the crown reveals how Macbeth does not trust the witches’ words and has no true ambition to become king. However soon after Banquo’s and Macbeth’s encounter with the witches, a messenger of the King greets him with the title of Thane of Cawdor as well as the title of Thane of Glamis as the witches had also done. These two titles are seen from Macbeth as “Two truths [that] are told/ As happy prologues to the swelling act/ Of the imperial theme” (I. iii. 140-142). Having one of the two prophecies become reality validates the witches’ words and makes Macbeth take their words seriously to be the truth, sparking his desire for power to fulfill the last prophecy. He now believes that what the witches have made it his destiny to become king, and it is his duty to fulfill it. Through Duncan and Macbeth’s dialogue, Macbeth hears about Malcolm b...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the choices people make lead them to where they end up, which may be interpreted as the opposite of fate. shakespeare's tragedy of macbeth destroys his original character and values because of the witches' prophecies.
- Analyzes how macbeth defers from his original character when he learns of the witches' prophecies, which leads him to believe that his destiny is to become king.
- Analyzes how malcolm being named as a prince makes him next in line for the throne, followed by duncan’s other son, donalbain, who both stand in the way of macbeth becoming king.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth's ambition uncovers his unseen dark side and transforms him into the apathetic tyrant he embodies.
- Analyzes how macbeth's greed grows in great proportions, which allows him to ignore his original principles and values to achieve his goals.
- Analyzes how macbeth at the last battle is unrecognizable from his character in the play, as he no longer holds any affection or attachment to the people or things that mattered to him.
1287 wordsRead More - Macbethanalytical essayShakespeare’s Macbeth is not the first play we’ve read where women are portrayed as malicious. Starting from Lady Macbeth to the witches and their prophecies. Lady Macbeth is Macbeth’s wife, but she acts as though she was the man in the relationship. However, Lady Macbeth is a leading ambitious woman that we are not used to seeing who really wants her husband to become king, and in order to obtain she think it’s fine for him to commit murder.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shakespeare's macbeth isn't the first play where women are portrayed as malicious, starting from lady macbeth to the witches and their prophecies
- Analyzes how lady macbeth's hunger for power led her to commit suicide even though she was not afraid.
- Opines that agrees with stephen greenblatt's point of view that witches had supernatural powers, such as the ability to move fast and see into the future. macbeth is a dysfunctional character.
- Opines that the raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of duncan under his battlements.
- Analyzes how the woman proves she would do anything for the crown. she questions her husband's masculinity as she tells him that he needs to man up.
- Analyzes how robert munro's "lady macbeth: a psychological sketch" portrays the character of a confident and evil woman who maliciously decides to obtain the crown.
739 wordsRead More - Macbethanalytical essayWithin the pages of the play Macbeth, one can find the five distinct literary devices of symbolism, allusion, alliteration, personification, and repetition used throughout. These three devices aid the story along and help develop the plot and characters each in a different way.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the five literary devices of symbolism, allusion, alliteration, personification, and repetition used throughout the play macbeth. these three devices aid the story along and help develop the plot and characters.
- Analyzes how symbolism helps the plot and development of characters by showing the significance of emotions, such as guilt, by the players.
- Analyzes how lady macbeth's quote, "out, damned spot! out, i say...yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?" shows her guilt and remorse over all the deaths that have been implemented by her in the play.
- Explains that allusion, or a passing reference to something in the bible, history or literature, is used to let the reader and audience gain depth into the story and overall it helps the actors get the meaning they are trying to convey.
- Analyzes how malcolm's quote, "angels are bright still, though the brightest fell," is a biblical allusion that refers to the angel lucifer’s fall from grace.
- Analyzes how alliteration is used in macbeth to get an actor's point across in a powerful and intense fashion.
- Analyzes how macbeth's quote uses repetitive "c" sounds to draw the reader into what he was saying. the use of alliteration gives the writing a punchy feel.
- Explains that personification, when inanimate objects are given human-like abilities, is used in the play as a way of giving the lines in it more of an metaphoric feel.
- Analyzes how ross uses personification in shakespeare's quote, "by th’ clock ‘tis day, / and yet dark night strangles the traveling lamp."
- Analyzes how repetition, or the act or instance of reiteration, is used in macbeth particularly with the three witches in their incantation.
- Analyzes the use of five literary devices in macbeth, including symbolism, allusion, alliteration, personification, and repetition.
761 wordsRead More