“And to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief,”
-Macbeth
Ambition can make people lose sight of what’s right. In the beginning of the story Macbeth didn’t think it was possible to become King. He was very hesitant at first, but not for long. Soon his temptations to become king and satisfy his wife became too strong. He murdered more and more people going so far that he could never turn back. This was how his downfall towards becoming a tragic hero started. A tragic hero is someone who has all of the characteristics and power to be a hero, but many factors including a fatal flaw or excessive pride take over, causing the person to die tragically. This is related to an important theme that the witches introduce at the beginning of the story. The theme is fair and foul. A tragic hero relates to
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Nemesis can be a punishment for hubris. One example of when Macbeth demonstrates hubris is when the witches show him the apparitions. The first one tells him to beware Macduff which makes him scared, but the second tells him that no one born of a woman can harm him. This gives him excessive pride, so he disregards what the first one said. He assumes that Macbeth was born of a woman and can’t harm him. Another time when Macbeth shows hubris is towards the end of the story when an army is coming to destroy him. He says, “Till Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane, “I cannot taint with fear.” (V, iii, 2-3)
Macbeth thinks he won’t be harmed because of what the apparitions told him. He doesn’t believe that the army will be a threat to him. Since Macbeth has excessive pride and thinks he is invincible, he is bound to have a sad fate. An example of his sad fate is after the banquet where Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost. Macbeth says, “ I am in blood Stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go’er.” (III, v,