The Two Heroes

The Shakespearean play Macbeth is a story of the human nature and of the choice every person has to make between the evil within and the goodness within. In the play, there are two main characters with the qualities of courage and high achievement that heroes possess. Macbeth is the tragic hero of the story, an estimable man brought down by his flaws , and Macduff is the avenging hero, a wronged individual who fights for a right and just cause. Both of these men live similar lives up to a certain point where each much decide whether they are going to choose a life of selfishness or of honor. We see Macbeth's ambition overtake him as he chooses to fight for his own cause. However, when tragedy strikes Macduff, we see his virtue as he sets his mind towards doing what is right by fighting for the true King of Scotland, Malcolm. Macbeth and Macduff's actions shape the remainder of their lives and decide upon the nature of their heroism.
The character of Macbeth is the battlefield on which we witness one of the most intense struggles in the whole play, forming our tragic hero. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is called honorable and brave because his fearless fighting in the opening battle. Indeed, Macbeth seems to be a worthy man. Yet, when faced with the opportunity to seize more power for himself through the use of wicked tactics, a war is kindled within him. Although he is pulled strongly towards the evil inside by his personal ambition and by the influence of his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's conscience and human kindness does not let him give in easily. In the heat of the battle, Macbeth's ambition is victorious when he chooses to commit the murder of Duncan. Though the first murder leads to others, Macbeth does not tur...

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...ntrasting his unselfishness deeds with the selfish ambitions of Macbeth. Macduff is the hero Macbeth could have been had he not chosen darkness. Everything Macbeth does goes against the human kindness he once had. He forces himself not to feel when guilt from his murderous actions catch up with him, sinking lower and lower. Macduff's choices all reflect his heroic nature, as he chooses to feel the death of his family like a man, while resolving to fight the against the evil that caused it. The passion that both men possess drives them to kill; one does it for selfish desires and the other for justice. Macbeth's murder shows how deeply his ambitions run, while Macduff's killing of Macbeth reflects how deep his sense of justice runs. In the end, we see that the tragic hero and the just hero of Macbeth are formed by their own choices and have reaped what they sowed.