Macbeth Tragic Hero Essay

1182 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Macbeth character analysis

Tragic Heroes are often found in situations where a character is aware of their fateful ending and struggles greatly against it, yet fails. In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Macbeth is an excellent example of a tragic hero. Macbeth is a very valiant, loyal thane to King Duncan at the beginning of the play, yet he soon learns of his fate, and his hunger for power blinds him, causing him to fail greatly. As the play proceeds, Macbeth commits many murderous acts to gain power, yet hides his crimes, knowing if caught he will lose his position of power and sense of dignity. Macbeth finally loses his life when the play comes to an end, failing in his attempt to alter his fate of death, all due to his overwhelming desire for power. To begin, Macbeth strives to stay true and loyal to King Duncan and resist any temptation of his selfish …show more content…

(3.1:31-34) Macbeth blames the murder of Duncan on Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donaldbain, to deceive others into considering the princes to at fault. Macbeth tries to plant the thought of seeing the princes’ escape to be cowardly. Macbeth is crowned King, and undoubtedly longing for more power, is blind to see that the effort he is making to increase his status and cover his guilt may kill him. As Macbeth hides his crimes, he commits more, killing Banquo and MacDuff, both perceived by Macbeth, in the way of the throne. After Macbeth hires murderers to take the lives of Banquo and his son Fleance, the murderers only succeed in killing Banquo, leaving Fleance to escape. Macbeth hosts a feast in which Banquo was previously invited to. With his mind clouded with guilt and panic, Macbeth hallucinates a ghost of Banquo, bloodied and covered in gruesome gashes. Macbeth slightly recovers and apologizes to his company, Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends. I have a strange infirmity which is nothing To those that know me.Come, love and health to all, Then I’ll sit down. Give me some wine; fill full!(3.4:

Show More
Related

  • Monsters and Men in Macbeth, Beowulf, Frankstien

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth was a tragic hero. Traditionally, a tragic hero is someone who is born as an example of greatness but somehow along the way they acquire a flaw in character that brings about his own downf...

    Read More

  • Macbeth's Tragic Flaw Quotes

    1377 Words  | 3 Pages

    Greed is a quality that many have, but too much of it can be catastrophic. In the tragedy Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the character Macbeth has a tragic flaw that leads to his eventual downfall. A tragic hero is generally defined as someone who has great potential; someone who is born into nobility and could have a great future. However, they are doomed to fail and often die because of a tragic flaw. These characters usually learn a lesson from their deeds. However, it is usually too late for them to have a happy ending. These characteristics apply to Macbeth, whose greatest flaw is his greed for power. Shakespeare uses characterization, conflict, irony, and foreshadowing to show the audience that Macbeth is a tragic hero.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Blood Motif Essay

    1449 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth was once confident since Banquo died but is insecure again because Fleance is still alive. Macbeth tells the murderer that they will continue to discuss this tomorrow since he has to tend to his guests. Macbeth starts off with a toast to his guests for good appetites, digestion and good health. Lennox then invites Macbeth to sit at the table but he starts to see the ghost of Banquo sitting down. Macbeth sees the ghost shaking his gory locks at him, which shows Banquo’s head with gashes and covered in blood.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Tragic Hero Quotes

    921 Words  | 2 Pages

    A tragic hero is a person of noble birth or potentially heroic qualities. The role of a tragic hero is common in many of Shakespeare's plays such as Macbeth. The character of Macbeth is a classic example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. A tragic hero often has a noble background. This person is predominantly good, but suffers a terrible fate falling out due to glitches in their personality. The tragic hero has a monstrous downfall, brought out by their fatal flaw. Macbeth is named a tragic hero because he learns through suffering, he is isolated, and he exhibits personal courage in his acceptance of death.

    Read More

  • Macbeth essay

    1269 Words  | 3 Pages

    This essay earned a 89/100. it was a lot of work considering the lines from macbeth for textual support.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Integrity Essay

    1245 Words  | 3 Pages

    Once Macbeth murdered Duncan, he realized that “Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more” (2.2.43-44). Shakespeare has Macbeth feel remorse to exemplify that Macbeth has the slightest amount of integrity within himself. He understands what he has done, but recognizes that he cannot go back and change his own actions. His fortune has been forever changed along with his fate (which is later on revealed by the witches). Macbeth’s integrity takes another downfall as he ascends to the throne and begins to suspect Banquo. Macbeth convinces himself that his sole purpose is to make the “seed of Banquo kings!” (3.1.73) This demonstrates Macbeth’s opinion of Banquo as someone who is more powerful than he is. Macbeth adds nuance to his statement by recalling that the witches hailed Banquo as the “father to a line of kings” (3.1.63) and “upon [Macbeth’s] my head they placed a fruitless crown” (3.1.64). From this, one may speculate that Macbeth views his position as king is illegitimate while Banquo’s children will be the legitimate kings. Macbeth’s integrity is further compromised as he uses this logic to justify his reasoning for plotting against Banquo. This further changed his fate and fortune by guaranteeing that “Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him” (4.1.95-97). Macbeth’s

    Read More

  • Macbeth Essay

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    “This tyrant whose sole name blisters our tongues, was once thought honest…” (77). This quote represents the change of Macbeth throughout the play. The use of blood imagery is used to represent the character development of Macbeth from a noble thane to a murdering tyrant. We first see blood imagery characterizing Macbeth when he is called noble for defeating Norway. Then, the idea of un-washable blood shows that Macbeth’s character will change. When Macbeth begins to experience the blood of others on his own hands, it leads him to ultimately become the “villain” or antagonist of the play. Finally, before the death of Macbeth, blood imagery has been used to characterize Macbeth so much that he is now over confident and seems to be fueled by the idea of it. By examining the use of blood imagery, one can determine that blood represents Macbeth’s character development from an honorable thane to a disrespected tyrant.

    Read More

  • The Lust for Power in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    The tragedy of Macbeth opens up with him returning home from a victorious military battle, displaying his honor and excellence. This is, also the first time he is presented with the opportunity for power. His success covered him with glory in defense of the crown. Macbeth is busily basking in his own glory and soaking up credit when Duncan basically steals his spotlight from right over his head, proclaiming Malcolm, Duncan's son, as the heir-apparent. This action also belittles Macbeth's achievement, since the procession of the throne is not necessarily dictated by bloodlines. Duncan is basically announcing that Macbeth, while noble, is inferior to his son Malcolm. This is where Duncan provokes Macbeth to hate him and also points out what Macbeth must do to become King. Duncan even tempts Macbeth, by pronouncing him as the Thane of Cawdor. This gives Macbeth a taste of power and he begins to have a desire for more. This desire or ambition is his fatal flaw. Shakespeare, by using Macbeth as a guide, shows that even the honorable men can fall into the hands of evil just like everyone else. No one is safe from his or her own ambitions of power and success. It is clear that Macbeth ends up a far more brutal and simple...

    Read More

  • Macbeth Essay

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a story of a great Scottish warrior hero who falls prey to the temptations of his own aspirations to be king. Macbeth hastily silences everyone who even has a chance of standing in the way of his power. Initially, he is able to overcome his scruples to obtain the position he desires, but soon the uneasiness catches up to he and his wife in shocking manners. The dagger scene, banquet scene, and sleepwalking scene are all related because they demonstrate the guilt that both the Macbeths experience after the murders of Duncan, Banquo, and the Macduffs and how their actions are driving them to their inevitable deaths.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Essay

    788 Words  | 2 Pages

    When anything in life first begins to grow, it begins as a seed. The seed of a plant, or of a thought, or of an idea. Once created, the seed can do one of two things. It can grow, or it can die. Shakespeare’s play Macbeth tells the story of an innocent man who is turned evil from the seeds planted by those around him, allowing readers to explore the repetition of growth and how it is implied through characters. Throughout the play, growth is used to display Macbeth and Banquo as foil characters, show Banquo’s “goodness” through positive imagery, and to show Macbeth’s “evilness” through negative growth imagery. By analyzing Shakespeare’s use of growth imagery, critical readers recognize that growth enforces the idea that growth triumphs evil, embodied in the actions and consequences of Macbeth and Banquo as they make one of two crucial choices? Good, or evil?

    Read More

  • Macbeth: A Tragic Hero

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    Tragic heroes, who destined for a serious downfall, are the protagonist of a dramatic tragedy. A tragic hero is usually a great hero, who gets the most respect from other people; on the other hand, a tragic hero can also lose everything he gained because of his mistakes. His downfall is the result of a wrong judgment, a flaw which might combined with fated and external forces. The downfall can cause the tragic hero to suffer for the rest of his life. In many literary works, the downfall of the tragic heroes usually happen in their highest point. In the same way, Macbeth is a tragic hero in the play called “The Tragedy of Macbeth” which is written by a legendary writer, William Shakespeares. Macbeth is a great general who gained many respect from the people and even the king. In the highest point of his life, because of seeking for greater power, it created Macbeth’s downfall. Macbeth, a tragic hero, causes suffering for himself and others by committing murders and creating distress, which are the negative effects of seeking for a greater power.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Tragic Hero Research Paper

    548 Words  | 2 Pages

    A tragic hero is usually a great hero who gets the most respect from other people. Then again, a tragic hero can also lose everything he gained because of his mistakes. His downfall is the result of a wrong judgment, a flaw which might combined with fated and external forces. In the novel Macbeth by William Shakespeare it follows a general Macbeth as he rises through ranks in some very fraudulent ways. His criminal ways started as something that his ambition led him into by seeking power.

    Read More

  • The Dramatic Fall Of Macbeth Essay

    765 Words  | 2 Pages

    A person’s ultimate goal is to be loyal to all those peers surrounding them. Macbeth was a loyal soldier to his community until his manipulative surroundings changed his mindset. “Evidence is nevertheless strong and ultimately attractive that a man of Macbeth’s moral sensibility has a moral choice.” (5.8.69) This explains that Macbeth is unsure of what's yet to come ,but he knows he has to remain stable and loyal to himself. Macbeth’s

    Read More

  • Discuss The Concept Of Tragedy In Macbeth

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    The tragic hero is a very specific character and must meet several criterias. This tragic character must not be an extremely virtuous individual that instead of the audience feeling pity or fear for their downfall, they feel anger. The character must as well not be so evil that the audience wishes their downfall, simply for the sake of justice. This tragic hero is best described as someone ‘’who is neither outstanding in virtue and righteousness; nor is it through badness or villainy of his own that he falls into misfortune, but rather through some flaw", Macbeth fitting this character perfectly. He is introduced to us as a military hero who has proven himself in battle time and time again, but still an average man, easily comparable to a modern day soldier. Along with all of Macbeth's many positive attributes comes his tragic flaw, a moral weakness of being extremely ambitious. It is this seed planted in him that inevitable takes over this ordinary man and entraps his will and leads him down his

    Read More

  • macbeth as a tragic hero

    818 Words  | 2 Pages

    A Shakespearean tragic hero starts out as a noble person; a great exceptional being who stands out. A tragic hero has a tragic flaw of an exaggerated trait that leads to their downfall and eventually to death. William Shakespeare often made his main characters tragic heroes in his plays. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the role of the tragic hero is given to the main character: Macbeth. This is because he starts off as a loyal and well liked man in the beginning, but has a tragic flaw of ambition which ultimately leads to his downfall.

    Read More

More about Macbeth Tragic Hero Essay

Open Document