Macbeth: Tragic Hero
In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, we discover that
Macbeth is a tragic hero. Macbeth is very ambitious, courageous,
and a moral coward: all these things lead to his tragic death at
the end of the play.
At the beginning of the play, Shakespeare defines Macbeth as a
hero very clearly. From the courages in defense of Scotland is
significant in the opening scene. However, he is very ambitious
to be king. At the beginning of the play, he was loyal to the
king. While he did imagine of murder his mind rejects it and
said, "Why, if fate will have me king, why, chance may crown me,"
- Act I, Sc 3, p.44-45.
Yet increasingly his ambition defeated his good nature. When
Duncan named Malcolm the Prince of Cumberland, Macbeth decided on
the murder of Duncan. When Duncan arrived at Inverness, Macbeth
controled his ambition for the time being and did not kill
Erskine Sanford as King Duncan with Roddy McDowall...
Macbeth and Banquo with the Witches by Henry Fusel...
The English actor Charles Kean as William Shakespe...Duncan. The failing of his decision was soon reflected by Lady
Macbeth who called him a coward. From then on, after the murder
of Duncan, Macbeth entered into a life of evil.
Since he overcomed his good nature, he no longer needed to be with
his friend Banquo. He wanted to protect his ambition, by killing
the king, and now he killed Banquo, due to the prediction of what
the witches said about Banquo's son becoming the king. Macbeth
wanted to ensure that he would reach his ambition without
problems.
Macbeth, who now no longer needed any encouragement from Lady
Macbeth, started to leave her in ignorance of his plans. Near the
end of the play, Lady Macbeth sleepwalked and had a dream about
the killing of Duncan and Banquo. She died because of all this
pressure and...