Macbeth As A Tragic Hero Essay

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Macbeth as a Tragic Hero
A tragic hero is a character that is very noble and honorable that will eventually make a choice that leads to their fall from grace. By all means, Macbeth’s character is an example of a Shakespearean representation of the ultimate classic (anti)hero or tragic hero. Indeed, numerous factors work in concert to ensure Macbeth’s degeneration of character, three of which will be discussed in the body of this paper. These three principal events encompass the prophesies the witches tell him, his wife’s (Lady Macbeth) influence and manipulation of him, as well as Macbeth’s long-held ambition to be crowned king. Through the combination of these factors, Macbeth’s prolific character degenerates from that of a noble to that of a violent criminal (Toshack 117-19).
Of the three circumstances, The Prophesies Macbeth obtains from the witches – of whom Shakespeare reiterates "Fair is foul and foul is fair" (Heilman 3-4) – are perhaps the most significant in Macbeth’s fall from glory. Had it not been for the witches convincing Macbeth that he was in fact supposed to be the “Thane of Cawdor”, the “Thane of Glamis”, and “The King of Scotland” (Heilman, 4-7), without doubt, Macbeth would still have remained his typical self. …show more content…
Admittedly, Macbeth’s ambition was nowhere near the resolve to kill the King. However, his wife’s influence plays a central role in ensuring that Macbeth’s ambition is amplified well enough to motivate him to acquire and sustain his position as the King of Scotland, regardless of the cost, even if it means committing murder (Gale 68-9). Macbeth’s ambition influences the path of his newfound villainous character, comprising of such vices as violence, greed, and hunger for power, effectively cementing his reputation as a tragic hero (Sheinberg

Macbeth: Macbeth and Tragic Hero Essay

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Macbeth Tragic Hero Essay

A tragic hero is a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat (Dictionary). In the play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Shakespeare portrays the lead character Macbeth as a classic example of a tragic hero. Macbeth exhibits many tragic flaws like his pride and awareness that allow him to fall from his lofty position as king to a tragic hero. The degeneration of Macbeth’s character is a result of his own pride. Initially, Macbeth is a good-hearted…

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Essay On Macbeth As A Tragic Hero

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Essay on Macbeth and Tragic Hero

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Essay on Tragic Hero and Brave Macbeth

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Essay Outline

Essay Outline Thesis statement: Macbeth is clearly a tragic hero, in that he has noble characteristics but struggles in a fatal flaw, his distorted perception of real life, and he’s responsible for his downfall. Topic sentences: From the moment the witches told Macbeth that he is going to become king he struggled with one fatal flaw- ambition. His ambition was to become king and for no one to take his throne from him. He did anything he could to become king, it didn’t matter to him what he had…

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Macbeth Essay Answer

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