Macbeth Tragic Hero Essay

The Tragedy of Macbeth written by William Shakespeare in 1606 is a play about Macbeth who was a man who held a title of high ranking but eventually came to his downfall due to his overpowering ambition that blinded him from the consequences of his actions. A tragic hero is defined as a man of high standing who falls due to a tragic flaw that affects many, an innate quality or trait that makes him noteworthy but ultimately causes the character's demise. It is undeniably true that Macbeth’s downfall is a result of his tragic flaw being his blind ambition as he proceeds to fall to his untimely demise from his higher stature due to the equivocation presented by Lady Macbeth and the witches and his innate desire to try to achieve more than he can.

Macbeth himself was a commander with high standing in the Scottish army and in the beginning of the play, he was applauded and praised for his brave acts. This is proven by a initial report of battle taken from the perspective of the Captain who was a soldier in Duncan’s army when he praises “But all’s too weak; / For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name), / Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel, / Which smoked with bloody execution” (I.ii.16-20). Through these lines, the Captain describes Macbeth as a brave and valiant soldier that brought Scotland to victory against the rebel forces led by Macdonwald. Not only did the Captain praise him, but also the king of Scotland himself, King Duncan. King Duncan praised and applauded Macbeth as he brought his country to victory and brought honor to everyone. King Duncan put Macbeth on a pedestal for his achievements during war and honored his nobility. King Duncan acclaimed “ O valiant cousin , worthy gentleman!” (I.ii.26). With these five simple words, King Duncan establishes his respect and praise for Macbeth and later on congratulates Macbeth with the title of Thane of Cawdor. King Duncan sees the actions of Macbeth during the war and finds his actions to be honorable and seems to brag about him in a way. King Duncan addresses Macbeth as a person with high standing that has met with his

The three witches who were the Weird sisters that foresaw someone's destiny and future saw Macbeth as the future king when they proclaim “ All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter [Third Witch]!” (I.iii.53). This is where the play first addresses the prophecies and also when Macbeth unlocks that tragic flaw which coerces him to have unimaginable thoughts. Macbeth's immediate reaction to this prophecy is demonstrated by his soliloquy: The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step / On which I must fall down or else oérleap, / For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires. / The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be / Which the eyes fears, when it is done, to see. (I.iv.55-60)

In simpler terms we are exposed to Macbeth's inner thoughts and when Macbethś tragic flaw of blind ambition was unlocked. The prophecies provided by the witches sparked his desires for more such as higher power. His thoughts were laced with that inherit desire that was unlocked by the witches and their words which caused him to start on a path that will eventually lead to untimely