tragic hero macbeth

tragic hero macbeth

If you were to do a speech on how Macbeth was a tragic hero. You would have to firstly have to define those two words. Tragic and Hero. Conventionally a tragic hero is a person of high birth who has a flaw that will lead to their eventual downfall into a pit of hell. For Macbeth this is very true. So how is Macbeth a hero? It is made very clear to us that he is a hero because in the Act I, we hear other characters preach how heroically Macbeth just fought against the odds in order to protect King Duncan’s lands and came out the victor. Macbeth is praised by the King on his valiant acts. So we can summarize that he is a hero.

So that’s how Macbeth was a Hero, but how is he tragic? For us to understand that he is in fact a tragic hero, then we would actually have to care about what happens to Macbeth. And since the play is named “MACBETH” then I guess we probably do care about him. We have to ask what is Macbeth’s tragic flaw which leads to his downfall? He surely is ambitious.  He says so himself.  Almost immediately after hearing the witches' prophesy, he contemplates the killing the King to get what he wants.  He is engrossed by the idea.  Banquo draws attention to it.  Yet, Macbeth attempts to brush off his reason for delay by lying.  Now we note he is also a liar. So now we know that Macbeth is ambitious which isn‎’t always a bad thing. But he is also a liar which is a rather deceptive trait

By the end of Act I, we see Macbeth in a tug of war with his conscience.  He wants to be king.  To be king he has to kill the current king, but he doesn't want the consequences.  Therefore, rightfully so, he decides against the murder.   We now must realize Macbeth is also smart--he weighs all the consequenes of an act before acting-- as well as ethical-- he will not kill the king, a guest in his house, a good man, and his kin.
If Macbeth were truly the man of character we see in Act I, then our play would end here.  We would have no tragic figure, just a man who...

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