Macbeth Tragic Hero Quotes

“Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.” (Act II, Scene II) Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare in the 1600’s, is the shortest of Shakespearian tragedies. The main character, Macbeth, receives a prophecy that he will become King of Scotland. Ambition takes over him and he commits many murders to keep the throne. Consequently, a war breaks out and takes Macbeth and his wife. Macbeth is considered a tragic hero because of his excessive pride, reversal of fate when Fleance escapes, and his tragic flaw ambition. Macbeth is a tragic hero because of his excessive pride. This can be seen in Act III Scene IV when Macbeth says, “Ourself will mingle with society, And play the humble host.” This quote shows that he is prideful in himself now since he is King that he has to “mingle with society.” His thinking now is that “I am better than everyone so I should not have to host but me and my wife will host and mingle with you lower people.” Another time when this can be seen is in Act IV Scene I when the second apparition says, “Be bloody, bold,

This can be seen in Act III Scene III when Banquo says, “O, treachery! Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly! Thou mayst revenge. O slave!” This reminds us of the witches prophecies that they gave Banquo that he will be father to a line of kings, even though he himself will not attain the throne. This shows that somewhere down Banquo's line his family will take over the throne whether it be when Macduff is King or another King has the throne. Macbeth's fate was determined by a supernatural power, the witches, however Banquo's fate was determined as well by the witches, therefore as much as Macbeth wanted to try and stop Banquo's family from attaining the throne he could not. This is just one of the many reasons why Macbeth is a tragic