Macbeth Tragic Hero Quotes

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A tragic hero is someone who dies as a result of a bad choice in life. In the play “Macbeth”, by William Shakespeare, the main character, Macbeth, is a tragic hero, fulfilling several of the characteristics of a tragic hero. Macbeth makes several errors of judgement, has a significant reversal of fortune, has excessive pride, and also follows other characteristics of a Shakespearean tragic hero.
Macbeth’s major error of judgement sends him on the extremely dark path leading to his own death. This error is made after the witches have told his fortune and his wife pushes Macbeth to kill Duncan for their own personal gain. The moment he falls for Lady Macbeth’s persuasion and taunting, in order to kill Duncan:
I am settled, and bend up
Each …show more content…

No man that’s born of woman
Shall e'er have power upon thee.” Then fly, false
thanes,
And mingle with the English epicures.
The mind I sway by and the heart I bear
Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear(V.iii.1-11)

This quote shows that Macbeth believes he is above all others, not being harmed until the fortunes of the witches come true. With his false bravery from the witch’s fortune, Macbeth becomes overconfident and proud of his supposed invincibility. Moreover, Macbeth is so proud and confident that he does not care nor fear that there is a rebellion with the intent of removing Macbeth from the thrown. With his excessive pride, Macbeth fulfills another part of what makes a character a tragic hero.
To add on to the reasons why Macbeth is a tragic hero, he also fulfills other Shakespearean requirements of a character being a tragic hero. Macbeth is of a high stature, starting out as a thane of Glamis, then thane of Cawdor, and eventually king of Scotland. This great stature provides Macbeth with a great distance to fall from in the end. Macbeth also commits further crimes following his murder of Duncan; this includes murdering Banquo, attempting to murder Fleance, murdering Macduff’s family and killing young Siward. Macbeth also fulfills one of the more prominent characteristics of a tragic hero and dies in the end of the play, at the hand of

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