Macbeth asks why he should ‘play the Roman Fool’; the customary fall onto your sword, rather than giving yourself to the enemy. This proves that Macbeth does not yet consider himself defeated and is determined not to give up, unlike a hero who would accept his fate.
It seems that Macbeth is totally loathsome, when he kills the ‘babes’ of Macduff. Macbeth is responsible for the death of innocent, harmless lives, but this is part of what makes him a hero. He acknowledges the guilt of killing his family, but his ‘soul is too much charg’d with blood of thine already’. Macbeth admits that he is already suffering from guilt, due to other crimes. This implies that Macbeth is not completely loathsome and does have some humane characteristics. Although he has murdered many people, he is feeling guilt; something that inhumane creatures would be unaware of. This helps us to feel pity on him, which also fits the criteria of being a tragic hero.
A hero must be highly respected and seen as important. He must also be from a noble background. It is evident that Macbeth fits this description, as he is has held many titles, including being the King. Earlier in the play, Macbeth is described as ‘My noble partner’. A partner is a friend and someone that you can trust, which Macbeth failed to be in many cases. This is clear, when Macbeth calls Banquo ‘a friend’, but ironically has him killed later on in the play. This may be one of the flaws in his character, which caused his defeat.
Throughout the final act, Macbeth repetitively reminds us that he is ‘of woman born’. This emphasises how evil he is, as he is not a supernatural, and would, therefore, be expected to have morals. Macbeth believes that he is completely invincible and ‘intrenchant’. He also tells how he has ‘a charmed life’, meaning that he is protected.
Macbeth finally states that he no longer believes the ‘juggling fiends’, who have cruelly deceived him and caused him to become so loathsome and evil. Macbeth has been a victim of vulnerability, due to his many ambitions, when the witches ‘palter’ his mind. He is labelled a ‘coward’ by Macduff; a name that would not be received by a true hero.
Before Macbeth dies, he says that he ‘will not yield’. Macbeth is not prepared to surrender and ‘kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s feet’. This would be as though Macbeth is worshipping Malcolm; the man who is about to kill him. Shakespeare uses the word ‘young’ to describe Malcolm, which would suggest that Macbeth is reluctant to be defeated by a man who is less experienced than himself. Macbeth tells Malcolm that he ‘will try the last’. It appears that Macbeth is incredibly stubborn and refuses to accept that he is about to die.
Macbeth shows many signs of being loathsome and disgusting throughout the play, but not completely. Although he has committed some terribly unacceptable crimes, Macbeth does still show signs of humanity; the main one being guilt. He also fits nearly all of the necessary criteria to be a Shakespearean tragic hero. In my view, Macbeth is loathsome, but this is one of the reasons that causes him to be a tragic hero. His loathsomeness makes Macbeth evil and stubborn. It is the reason for not accepting his fate, therefore I think that Macbeth is a mixture of the two.
