Ambition, cunning schemes, and narcissism all appear as themes throughout society today and cause people to act in various manners due to their either negative or positive motivation. These three familiar traits comprise several of the Machiavellian hero traits. In addition to those three, other Machiavellian traits include duplicity, ruthlessness, and deception. All of the various traits compile and form into a Machiavellian hero model which appears in all different types of literature. Shakespeare reveals these themes in his two tragic plays The Tragedy of Macbeth and Othello: the Moor of Venice through the characters Macbeth and Iago. Both Macbeth and Iago possess character traits that arise in their words, actions, and mannerisms. All of the Machiavellian hero traits have negative connotations and Macbeth and Iago successfully follow the guidelines critics utilize to determine a Machiavellian hero.…show more content… Macbeth’s characteristics of a Machiavellian hero begin their appearance in his narcissistic attitude in which he betrays his companions for his own benefit of the rise to king. Lady Macbeth assists in the scheme of a plan to murder the king and eventually rise to the office of king. Her words and actions surface the ambition Macbeth holds for the goals he wishes to achieve. The various negative traits that arise in Macbeth throughout the tragedy all relate to Macbeth’s role as a Machiavellian hero. The duplicity, narcissism, and his ambition reveal his evilness and his inherently wicked characteristics
