Macbeth Demand Essay: Macbeth Character Analysis

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 12th grade November 2001

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William Shakespeare's Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's greatest plays ever written. Macbeth is a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a man above the ordinary who, due to the unusual circumstances and a flaw in his character, suffers a downfall. Macbeth as a Shakespearean tragic hero will be proven through his words, his actions and by what others say about him.

Macbeth is a man above the ordinary in many obvious ways. Macbeth was socially above the ordinary because he was the Thane of Cawdor and Glamis and became King of Scotland.

Macbeth's reputation was above ordinary because he was introduced in the story as a great warrior. He was described as being " brave" (I. ii. 18) and "valiant" (I ii. 26). Macbeth was also above ordinary in his relationship with his wife. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plotted to murder the king together. They also communicated very well in the beginning.

Macbeth's conscience was above the ordinary because he frequently talked about it at length. It took him a long time to kill Duncan because he knew that is was immoral and in the beginning, Lady Macbeth worried that he didn't have enough ambition to kill. Macbeth was above the ordinary socially, in his reputation, in his relationship with his wife and his conscience.

Macbeth had a flaw in his character; he was overly ambitious. This is what Aristotle describes as his fatal flaw. Macbeth said things such as "We've scorched the snake, not killed it" (III. ii. 15). Macbeth said that to Lady Macbeth in complete confidence, telling her not to worry about Fleance. Macbeth is also told by the witches' that he will not be harmed until the forest moves towards the castle and Macbeth thinks he will be safe and asks if the land...