How Is Macbeth Selfish

Beowulf and Macbeth comparison

By Brooklyn Robinson

Beowulf and Macbeth both show affects of selfishness and false heroism. Macbeth shows both in a more obvious manner while Beowulf shows it more realistically when compared to normal human nature. They both show the destruction that selfishness causes awell how it can cause immense guilt.

Macbeth is outwardly selfish. He never pretends to not be ambitious, if anything he doesnt hide it because other characters like Lady Macbeth encourage his selfishness. After the witches prophecy he actually second guessed himself before needing to murder. Lady Macbeth however mocked him for wanting to back out. After this he is comitted to becoming king, and he sacrifices to much to back out. He eventually

As a old king he insisted on going to battle. Although he was in the end killed by the dragons poison his death was truely because he selfishly allowed his pride to get in the way. Instead of being true to himself and his people and relizeing it would be better for him not to go to battle and that because of his age he would be more helpful continuing to serve as king, he decided to do what would serve himself and his ego by going to battle. Like Beowulf Macbeths selfishness ended up being negative to himself. Macbeths life was crumbling because of his selfishness. He had become extremely guilty to the extent that his mental health was overwhelminglee bad. He would halucinate because of the negative state he had put himself into. He also ended up ruining relationships like his with Lady Macbeth because he was no longer the same person and instead taken over by a monster named

These tragic heros are the center of many pieses of british litrature. In Frankenstein Victor is to obsessed with death that he creates a monster that ruins his death. Romeo montegue is impulsive. Othello struggles with jelousy and insecurity. Other then these traits these characters have good traits and despite these bad traits these characters and other tragic heros a to an extent painted to be the protaginist. “Already in youth I have done more glorious deeds,” is what beowulf says when meeting Hothgar. His first impression that he made showed his selfishness through bragging. Although that was common at the time to brag of accomplishments to show competency he exaggerates his actions by being vague. He gives little specificity and glourifies what he did. This self obsession is also seen in Macbeth. During Macbeths dinner party he gets obsessed with himself. He starts to experience hallucinations of his victim Banquo. “Thou canst not say I did it; never shake/Thy gory locks at me,” is what he says infront of his guests. Although he knows he is dead he allows himself to become obsorbed in the hallucinations, focusing ond what he is seeing instead of what is truely going on. The main characters of these pieces of British literature are not the only aspects making them similar or different. The structure and other aspects do