Lady Macbeth's Tragic Hero

The Savagery Without Ethics; Power of Suggestion Human behavior is greatly influenced by a combination of personal morals and external occurrences. In William Shakespeare's Macbeth, the main character, Macbeth, is heavily influenced by external factors that when also paired with his own personal flaws ultimately lead to his corrupted mentality. The key external factors that ultimately led to Macbeth's mental deterioration are his wife; Lady Macbeth, the witch’s prophecies and his paranoia.

The play of “Macbeth” is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. It is loosely based on the real King Macbeth of Scotland and takes place in the early 17th century. The play itself relies on ambition as it significantly affects characters such as Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and Macduff who will do anything to quench their thirst for ambition. Macbeth, the once noble and respected member of the hierarchy, is corrupted by the fates “weird sisters” who tinker away at Macbeth to pursue his ambitions.

Lady Macbeth’s Ambitious Events In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, ambition is the driving force in this play, Lady Macbeth’s ambition truly forces the events of the play. After reading the letter Lady Macbeth says her famous quote, she calls Macbeth a woman because he won’t murder Duncan, and Macbeth’s vison of Banquo’s ghost. These events drives Lady Macbeth’s ambition that forces action.

The term tragic hero results from the Greek term hero which means a character who not only faces hardship and misfortune but one who also demonstrates and exhibits bravery in the face of danger. Unfortunately, in the end, the tragic hero also faces a bitter downfall. Sometimes, if not always, the tragic hero is a character that can conjure sad emotions like pity, anxiety, or distress. William Shakespeare chooses his lead character, Macbeth, to represent the tragic hero in his play Macbeth. Macbeth suffers from being the tragic hero of the play where he has numerous flaws but most noticeably his uncontrolled ambition and desire for power which leads to his tragic defeat.

Ambition: Shakespeare portrays the undeniable power of ambition throughout “Macbeth”. Ambition is a corrupting and unrelenting force in which Lady Macbeth and Macbeth fall victim to. Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth show a desire for power. However, Lady Macbeth shows more ambition in getting immediate power. Lady Macbeth takes on a masculine persona in order to commence her plans.

William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth is a tragedy play written in the year of 1606 in England. The setting of this play takes place during the Middle or Medieval Ages in various locations, including England. During this medieval time period, many people desired power and would stop at nothing to seek and gain it, including the characters in The Tragedy of Macbeth. The three witches in this play utilizes their knowledge of spells, charms, as well as prophecies as power over Macbeth’s life and future. On the other hand, Lady Macbeth gains power over Macbeth by continuing to question his manhood and through manipulation.

“Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.” (Act II, Scene II) Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare in the 1600’s, is the shortest of Shakespearian tragedies. The main character, Macbeth, receives a prophecy that he will become King of Scotland. Ambition takes over him and he commits many murders to keep the throne.

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair,” “What’s done is done,” and “I bear a charmed life,” are all significant and favored lines from the well-recognized play, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s shortest yet fiercest tragedy, Macbeth recounts the story of a valiant Scottish general who acquires a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day, he will become King of Scotland. Overwhelmed with aspiring thoughts and prodded to act by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and conquers the throne for himself. The bloodbath suddenly intensifies as Macbeth and his wife attempt to cover up his crime. Ultimately, this drives Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to arrogance, insanity, and death.

Ambition Helen Keller once said “character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” People inspired by ambition can accomplish great things. However, when tempted by their desires, people can destroy themselves as well.

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” Said by Abraham Lincoln. Macbeth received three prophecy’s at the start of the play after hearing this he knew one was true which was thane of Glamis. Then after he gets the message of becoming thane of Cawdor it made him believe that there is a chance for him to become King. During Shakespeare’s time, women were thought as lesser beings, still he manages to portray them as a strong, and influential people in his play. Shakespeare shows that Lady Macbeth aspires to be a man so that she can show supremacy and be more of a ruler.