Macbeth's Tragic Flaw Essay

Macbeth's Tragic Flaw: A Struggle between Good and Evil

"The line between good and evil runs through every human heart." - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

As a central figure in the world of Shakespearean tragedy, Macbeth battles with the complex interchange between his initial goodness and the fatal flaw that eventually leads to his downfall. One of the requirements of the conventions of a Shakespearean tragic hero is that the protagonist must be a “good man” who succumbs to his tragic flaw rather than being inherently evil. To be able to determine whether Macbeth fits the criteria of a tragic hero, we need to be able to understand the complexities of his character. Both Shakespeare’s original play and Roman Polanski’s interpretation shed light

At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is introduced as a brave and loyal soldier, earning praise for his heroism in battle by the king. As the Captain declares in the play, “For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name” (Shakespeare, 1.2.16). It is deemed that the characters admire and respect Macbeth, recognizing his courage and bravery, since he has a great reputation amongst the characters and is praised for that in the Shakespearean play. Furthermore, King Duncan places significant trust in Macbeth, which is shown when he decides to stay in Macbeth’s castle, an act of complete reliance on Macbeth’s loyalty. This trust is reflected in Duncan’s declaration, “He was a gentleman on whom I built / An absolute trust” (Shakespeare, 1.4.13-14). Duncan’s unwavering faith in Macbeth highlights the perception of Macbeth as a noble and honourable man. Another person that deeply trusted and admired Macbeth is his friend, Banquo. In the play, Banquo is shown to be speaking and thinking highly of Macbeth. Although Macbeth does order the murder of Banquo later in the story, Banquo never doubted him and didn’t think that he should protect himself from Macbeth because he still believed that Macbeth would never hurt him since he is trustable. Banquo’s undoubtful trust in Macbeth proves he is a “good man” who possesses noble qualities and