Macbeth: A Tragic Hero
The play, ‘Macbeth’, which is one of William Shakespeare’s best work and presumably written in 1606, tells us about a admirable and renowned protagonist (Macbeth), who goes from bad to worse throughout the play. Shakespeare wrote this play specifically for King James I, who was Scottish and was obsessed with supernaturality, so Shakespeare brought this theme and the theme of treachery towards the King into the play. For this King James I was pleased and grateful to Shakespeare. In this play, at first Macbeth was hailed as a loyal and heroic soldier, who almost single-handedly defeated the Norwegian Invasion. Macbeth was honoured the title ‘Thane of Cawdor’ from ‘Thane of Glamis’ and then to King. However, nearer and nearer to the end of the …show more content…
This led to a debate as to whether Macbeth was a villain or a hero who has fallen into other people’s grasps, such as Lady Macbeth’s and the Three Witches’, which makes him a tragic hero. This essay will discuss whether Macbeth was a tragic hero or a villain and my opinion at the conclusion.
But before deciding whether Macbeth is a tragic hero or a villain. In order to for one must know how to define these qualities. A tragic hero is defined ‘a man in whom good and evil are mixed but in whom the good predominates’ according to Aristotle, which is paraphrased as ‘a kind, trustworthy person with a tragic flaw’. However a villain is defined as ‘a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot’ according the ‘Oxford Dictionary’. Macbeth possesses both of these traits. Ironically, at the start off the play, Macbeth appears as a loyal noble fighting for his king, but the witches recognize his moral weakness even before they meet him, as they were obviously interested in Macbeth and made a prophecy for Banquo, perhaps coincidentally as he happens to be with Macbeth. They started calling Macbeth Thane of Cawdor, which he already is but doesn 't yet know he is, and then telling him he will be King. This planted in a seed in his mind which begins to make him think of violent
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Leadership In Macbeth
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Examples Of Ambition In Macbeth
181 Words | 1 PagesMacbeth shows a true sense of ambition in his personality which is acted out in a positive manner initially, but overtime becomes cynical. It must be noticed that in the beginning, his ambition is evident through his daring traits. The Captain speaks with Duncan, king of Scotland, about Macbeth’s courageous spirit during war: “For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name), /Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel, /Which smoked with bloody execution” (1.2. 18-20). Many people around Macbeth admire him for his bravery and leadership in and out of the battlefield.
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Macbeth Tragic Hero Quotes
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824 Words | 4 PagesAt the beginning of William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ the protagonist Macbeth is described as ‘brave’, ‘noble’ and ‘honourable’, however Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeths desire for power consumes them. Macbeth’s ambition overrides his conscience and transformed his greatest strength into his greatest weakness. Macbeth’s inability to resist temptations that led him to be greedy for power, Macbeth’s easily manipulative nature which allowed his mind to be swayed, Macbeth having no self control and his excessive pride was what allowed him to renew his previously honourable and celebrated title into one of an evil ‘tyrant’. Macbeth is led by the prophecies of the witches after they foretell he will become the Thane of Cawdor. Not only the witches, but also his wife easily manipulate Macbeth as she attacks his manhood in order to provoke him to act on his desires.
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Macbeth: An Aristotelian Tragic Hero
703 Words | 3 PagesHe let his ambitions take control of his actions. Macbeth is a tragic hero because he redeemed a small measure of his nobility. He redeemed himself by fighting until the end of his life. He understood his fate and still fought.
Macbeth As A Tragic Hero
814 Words | 4 PagesA tragic hero is the protagonist of a tragedy. The tragedy of Macbeth tells a story about a man named Macbeth that wants to be king. Macbeth was a very twisted man and was power crazy he did everything to become king he even murdered innocents and whomever stood in his way. Macbeth was considered a tragic hero because Macbeth had many people follow him he also had a down flaw that led to his death but went down heroically. Macbeth 's great downfall that proved was a tragic hero was stated as, “ I will not yield to kiss the ground before Malcolm 's feet and to be baited with the rabble 's curse” (5, 8, 28) this quote taken from the story explains that even though Malcom is trying to kill him Macbeth claims he won 't yield nor beg because Macbeth thinks he has won the fight.
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