Tragic Flaw In Macbeth

The Tragic Flaw Achilles’ heel proved that no person, no matter how great, can fall if their weak point has been exposed. Achilles had only one weak spot, his heel. He knew it was his shortcoming, however, he still allowed it to be vulnerable in battle. This vulnerability was taken advantage of by his enemies and caused Achilles’ death. From Achilles’ heel, people around the world have learned about how tragic flaws can destroy people. As humans, we all have a tragic flaw that could lead us to the same disaster as Achilles himself. The common theme of his tale has shown itself throughout our lives, our history, and even our literature. The story of Macbeth is no exception. Macbeth faced this challenge throughout his rise and fall of power.

Macbeth’s unrealistic ambition is a flaw that can easily be affected by others. This trait of his flaw is shown through the encounters between Macbeth and other characters such as Lady Macbeth and the witches. When Macbeth had his discussion with the witches, they planted ideas of glory and power in his head. This conversation made Macbeth start to think that it was his right to be become king at any cost. The weird sisters were a catalyst for Macbeth’s tragic flaw to grow. However, the witches were not the only people who influenced his unchecked ambition. Lady Macbeth also used many tricks to convince Macbeth to give in to his outrageous aspirations. She questioned his manhood and played on his emotions: “What beast was ’t, then, / That made you break this enterprise to me? / When you durst do it, then you were a man; / And to be more than what you were, you would / Be so much more the man. /” (Macbeth 1.7.47-51). Lady Macbeth knew that her husband would do what she wanted if she used her words to manipulate him. Lady Macbeth’s influences only fueled his mania. From this, it is clear that interactions with other characters greatly influenced his tragic flaw and lead him down a path of