How Does Hamartia Cause Macbeth's Downfall

tragic heroes are failed pragmatists. Their ends are unrealistic and their means are impractical by Adam Phillips. Macbeth was told no the witches that he will be king of Scotland. To be king Macbeth kills the king Duncan with help of his wife. Afterwards he keeps killing people to get what he want. In play Macbeth by William, the hero demonstrates the element of hamartia, peripeteia, and anagnorisis.

Macbeth’s hamartia of ambition cause his tragic downfall by killing Duncan to become king. Macbeth hamartia(fatal flaw) of killing Duncan lead him to feel guilt. “ is this dagger which I see before me./ the handle toward my hand? Come let me clutch thee!/ I have thee not, and yet I see thee still”. (2,1,33-35). Macbeth is guilt over what he is about to do, which lead with wild thoughts of his action. He begins to hallucinate and see the bloody dagger in the

Macbeth peripeteia( when a hero realize everything he believed is wrong) which when he kill Banquo.

“He’s my enemy too, and I hate him so much

Macbeth anagnorisis( when main character discovers true nature of his situation) when his wife's death his realize that thing don’t last long. “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow./the days creep slowly along until the end of the time”.(5,5,20). With this phrase Macbeth is saying that life is meaningless, useless, and empty with lady Macbeth death he feel empty which lead to his own death. Macbeth learn that witches use double speech on him. “The evil spirit you serve can tell you that I was not born./they cut me out of my mother’s womb before she could bear me naturally”.(5,8,14-15). Macbeth is overconfidence that nobody can harm him but Macduff reveals that he was not born naturally but cut from his mother’s womb. Now macb realize that the wit he’s have trick him into believing into that nobody can harm him. All the efforts Macbeth put to becoming king