Macbeth Tragic Hero Essay

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In the drama The Tragedy of Macbeth, the main character Macbeth is depicted as a tragic hero. Macbeth first rises in position, power, and status and then falls. His tragic flaw is overwhelming ambition which causes his demise. Macbeth's downfall becomes a triumph. Each of these three elements, beginning with Macbeth's rise, contributes to his qualification as a tragic hero. Macbeth rises in position , power, and status and then falls. Macbeth's best friend Banquo who knows the reason for Macbeth's changing fortune relates, "Thou hast it now - King, Cawdor, Glamis, all / As the Weird Women promised; and I fear / Thou play'dst most foully for't" (III:1:1-3). Macbeth starts out as thane of Glamis, a title he inherited when his father,…show more content…
Very early in the play after he has learned of the witches' prophecies and gained his new honors, Macbeth decides to pursue his dream of becoming king. Although he vacillates back and forth about killing Duncan, he finally sums up his true feelings. Macbeth states, "I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself / And falls on the other" (I:7:25 - 28). It is only his ambition that makes him consider killing the king and thus fulfilling the third prophecy that he will be kind. However, at first, Macbeth decides to leave it to fate to make him kind. He states, "If chance will have me King, why / chance may crown me, / Without my stir" (I:3:143 - 145). Later, when Duncan names Malcolm his heir, Macbeth realizes that he will have to act and seize the crown without the help of fate if he shall become king. He states, "The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step / On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, / For in my way it lies" (I:$:48 - 50). He then plans, with the help of his wife, to murder the kind and to eliminate the threat imposed by Malcolm as the heir apparent. After the successful murder of Kind Duncan and Malcolm's flight to England, the only danger to Macbeth is Banquo. Macbeth's ambition again forces him to commit murder and defeat the additional prophecies which indicate that Banquo's heirs will…show more content…
Towards the end of the play when the rebellion is in full swing, he is all alone. Lady Macbeth has committed suicide and Macbeth realizes that there is very little hope left for him; however, he still attempts to triumph. He fears that the witches have tricked him, yet he decides to confront the enemy instead of staying in his castle. Macbeth

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