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Macbeth Tragic Hero

Decent Essays

The Tragic Hero of Macbeth Many of William Shakespeare’s works portray the role of a tragic hero. The characteristics of a tragic hero are normally a person of noble status who is generally good but changes in character cause a tragic flaw. The tragic hero’s lack of judgment leads to his own destruction which usually results in death and causes the reader to feel fear and pity for them. There are three major factors that contribute to the changes in Macbeth’s character that defines a Shakespearean tragic hero. These factors include the prophecies of the witches’, Lady Macbeth’s influence and manipulation towards Macbeth and Macbeth’s ambition for greatness which all lead to his ultimate downfall resulting in his death. The prophecies that are told by the witches’ to Macbeth are one of the factors that cause a negative change in his character. In beginning of the play, Macbeth receives a prophecy from three witches telling him that he will …show more content…

One characteristic of a tragic hero is possessing a tragic flaw which eventually leads to self destruction and the downfall of the tragic hero. Macbeth’s flaw is his weakness to be persuaded by others “Macbeth, advised by witches that he is to be a king, is persuaded by his will to kill his sovereign (King Duncan) and seize the crown” (Bradley 46). Lady Macbeth provides Macbeth with a plot to murder King Duncan but when he begins to second guess himself about following through with the plan she persuades him by telling him he isn’t a man unless he goes through with the murder. This shows the reader that Macbeth is a good person and he has a hard time making the decision to actually murder King Duncan. Even though Macbeth regrets his decision to murder King Duncan, “To know my deed, ‘twere best not know myself” (Shakespeare 35), he decides that killing Duncan is the only solution to his rise in

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