Do you consider Macbeth a tragic hero?
Cassie Flowers
Do you consider Macbeth a tragic hero?
In his play, "Macbeth" Shakespeare casts the main character, Macbeth as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a person of high or noble birth, who is virtuous but not overly just, and through some tragic flaw brings about their own destruction and gains wisdom through suffering. Macbeth is a tragic hero because through his life he makes choices and decisions that consequently shape his future. When Macbeth makes the wrong choice, after being convinced by his wife to kill Duncan, he immediately influences the outcome of his life. Macbeth does not realise the significance of the choices he makes, and later comes to realise how much they really mean.
In the beginning the audience sees Macbeth as a hero, fighting for his king and country. It comes as a shock when Macbeth goes against all that he believes in and slays the king. The audience feels that the fall of Macbeth is a terrible waste of human greatness and bravery.
When Shakespeare wrote Macbeth about the history of Scotland. King James I had recently come to the throne and had a great interest in the theatre. He became the protector of Shakespeare's theatre company. Shakespeare's play was very much shaped by James I and his situation. James I had a say in the content of the would need to approve the context of the play that should include the fact that someone who killed the king and went against his country would be eventually slain himself, also during the time that the play was being written Guy Fawkes' plot against King James had come to light. Maybe Macbeth was written as a threat to any other men who were planning on trying to kill James I. The play imposes that anyone who tries to kill the legal and god given king will die himself.
James I was also fascinated by witchcraft. He was completely against witches, so in the play they were portrayed as evil and ugly. Shakespeare had to show that a mixture of English and Scotsmen defeated Macbeth and also that Banquo, who descended from James I was completely unselfish.
When the audience meet Macbeth he is viewed as a brave and courageous soldier. He is fighting for his king and country and putting his life on the line to protect them. Because of this the audience can look at Macbeth as a hero, as he is definitely regarded upon as being one by the other characters in the play at the start, "For brave Macbeth Well he deserves that name" The metaphor describing Macbeth's fighting ability, "As canons overcharges" shows that Macbeth is still prepared to fight on, no matter what the enemy imposes. He is a mature man of definitely established character, successful and enjoying an enviable reputation. The audience sees him at the height of his power and therefore gain a positive opinion of him. Even though the witches have implied some tampering with nature, the glorious deeds outshine.
At the end of the play we see that Macbeth is still determined to fight and stay brave and courageous. "Why should I play the Roman fool and die / On mine own sword?" Macbeth becomes strong again at towards the end of the play, and not as afraid as he was mid-play. Even though Macbeth has not lost his bravery, the self-confidence he displays is quite unreasonable.
In the first acts of the play Macbeth definitely displays the characteristics of a hero. He is brave and prepared to kill for his beliefs, king and country. He would have developed into a greater person if he had not killed the king, but he was driven to it by ambition and his wife's power and eventually lost control.
The three witches' prophecies, his wife Lady Macbeth and the apparitions shown to him, influenced Macbeth's downfall.
In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is approached by three witches. The witches accost him with the titles ...
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In the first acts of the play Macbeth definitely displays the characteristics of a hero. He is brave and prepared to kill for his beliefs, king and country. He would have developed into a greater person if he had not killed the king, but he was driven to it by ambition and his wife's power and eventually lost control.
The three witches' prophecies, his wife Lady Macbeth and the apparitions shown to him, influenced Macbeth's downfall.
In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is approached by three witches. The witches accost him with the titles "Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and that shalt be king hereafter". The prophecies confuse Macbeth at first because although he is Thane of Glamis at that time, the Thane of Cawdor is still alive. Shortly after he is told these statements which he can not believe to be true, Macbeth begins to wonder if he, one day, will become king. "Glamis and Thane of Cawdor! The greatest is behind". The truth in this prophecy leads Macbeth to ill thoughts as to what is in store for him and how he can achieve becoming king. This action reduces the chance for Macbeth to become king. Shakespeare shows that Macbeth is driven by these prophecies. This links to the fact that James I, who had a say in the content of the play, was against witchcraft and wanted witches to be viewed as evil.
Macbeth writes a letter to Lady Macbeth telling her of the strange prophecies. Ill thoughts are immediately stirred up in her mind, and her greed and ambition show that Macbeth will be king. "Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised. Yet do I fear thy nature. It is too full o' the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way" Lady Macbeth thinks that Macbeth is far too kind of a person to carry out the necessary actions to be king alone. I think that Lady Macbeth is more eager for Macbeth to be king than Macbeth is himself. She begins to plan the murder of Duncan. However, when Macbeth arrives, he tells her that he can not kill Duncan because he is a loyal kinsman. Lady Macbeth turns the situation around and calls him a coward for not having the valour needed to fulfil his desire. Lady Macbeth tries to persuade Macbeth by insulting his military powers and calling him a coward "Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since? And wakes it now to look so green and pale at what it did do freely?...Art thou afeared to be the same in thine own act and valor as thou art in desire? Wouldst thou has that which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem" Lady Macbeth's criticisms have a deep impact on Macbeth, showing a weakness in his brave character.
These first few scenes of the play show how people act on their decisions determines their future.
The soliloquies in acts 1 Scene 7 and Act 2 scene 1 reveal Macbeth's mixed feelings about murdering. He wants to gain power, but is scared of the processes he has to go through to get the power. A lot of antithesis is used, "Cannot be ill, cannot be good - if ill" - Macbeth, "Lesser than Macbeth and greater" - Witches, "Not so happy, yet much happier" - Witches, "Fair is foul and foul is fair" - Witches. These antitheses add mystery into the play, illustrating Macbeth's mixed feelings. The antithesis is part of the appearance Vs reality, "False face must hide what the false heart does know" assures Macbeth.
I think that the witch's prophecies triggered off Macbeth's desire to be king. Lady Macbeth made these desires stronger by criticising him and then Macbeth decided himself what he thought was the right thing for him to do. As he had received more criticism and was being told that he should murder, that he should be King Macbeth decided to kill Duncan. I feel that if Macbeth hadn't been driven to murder by Lady Macbeth the king then he wouldn't have done it, as he couldn't have done it himself. And because of this I think that Macbeth's downfall is as much Lady Macbeth's fault as it is his own. Macbeth knows what's morally right, however, his own greed and ambition overrule his conscience and he decides to act on his decision.
After killing Duncan Macbeth is filled with panic and regret. His conscience tears away at him. Macbeth is filled with many emotions, but the main emotion is fear. Macbeth fears many things in the play because of this. Macbeth is afraid of thoughts, what others think, his actions, the consequences of these actions, the future, Banquo, Fleance, death and most importantly fate. Macbeth is even afraid of fear itself. Macbeth is afraid that he will no longer be able to pronounce "Amen" and afraid that he will not be able to sleep. This shows that he has a guilty conscience, and he knows what he did was wrong.
When describing Duncan's body Macbeth uses hyperbole. He is tries to cover his tracks, but takes it too far, verging on making it obvious that he was the killer. To take all of the attention away Lady Macbeth faints, which shows that Macbeth needs her to protect him, she is looking out for him and cares as much about the crown as Macbeth does.
Macbeth's decision to kill Banquo came about because he was paranoid about losing the crown. The prophecies told Banquo that he would father kings, this worried Macbeth, as he believes that the prophecies are true. At the end of the banquet, after Banquo is killed, Macbeth says, "We are yet but young in deed." He means that two murders aren't enough, there are more to come. He has planned who is next to die, and even though the ghost of Banquo has haunted him.
Killing Duncan triggered a huge transformation in Macbeth. After the murder he found himself doing things that he wouldn't have considered for one moment before he killed King Duncan. Killing Duncan was not in Macbeth's nature. He is a warrior, not a murderer, so he wonders why he even considered murdering Duncan. He questions that if it is evil or of bad intentions why would they give him so many good things. Then he questions if good why did he even consider the thought of murdering King Duncan so that he may be king.
Macbeth feels that if he murdered someone, what would stop others murdering him? He thinks mainly that Banquo or Fleance would try and murder him.
Macbeth went form being afraid of evil to being afraid of what might happen if he did not do evil. This is the major transformation in the fears of Macbeth.
When Macbeth goes to the witches for the second time he asks them to reveal more of his future. The witches show him 3 apparitions that depict the future. The first of the three is an armoured head; this is to tell Macbeth to be aware of Macduff. The second apparition is a bloody child. This vision insures Macbeth that "None of women born can harm Macbeth." This misleads Macbeth as he gets the idea that he is invincible. The final apparition is a child with a branch in his hand. The message brought to Macbeth by this vision is that he has nothing to worry about until the Birnam woods move to Dunsaine, Macbeth's castle. Macbeth is aware that Macduff is out to avenge the deaths of his family; however Macbeth does not fear him as he knows that no man who is women born can harm him.
After the apparitions are revealed to Macbeth he unnecessarily decides to murder a totally innocent women, Lady Macduff. His paranoia is growing stronger, whereas previous murders were to stop possession of the crown this murder was purposeless and vindictive.
I think this is the point that Macbeth changes into a tragic hero, when he stops murdering for a reason and starts murdering for the sake of it. The audience can see that Macbeth's paranoia is ruling, and can sympathise with him, but not agree with his decisions.
The decline of Scotland becomes more evident, as Macbeth becomes more concerned with defending his title as king, rather than maintaining it. People around notice that Scotland is falling, Malcolm believes, "Our country sinks beneath the yoke..."
At the very end of the play Macbeth is used to the killings. He is no longer afraid, as he was before, "I have almost forgot the taste of fear" and believes he will never be defeated, "Shall never sag with doubt, nor shake with fear." Shakespeare cleverly names Macbeth's chief manservant "Seyton" which sounds like "Satan" giving the audience the idea that Macbeth is so evil, that the devil is serving him.
Macbeth will not take his life like his wife did, "Why should I play the Roman fool and die/ on mine own sword?" showing that his belief that he is invincible is still strong. I think that the one person that Macbeth is afraid of is Macduff, "Of all men else I have avoided thee" this may be because he is feeling guilty about killing his family for no apparent reason.
In the last act Macbeth also displays human regrets in his metaphor of life, "Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow / Creeps in this petty place from day to day / To the last syllable of recorded time; / And all our yesterdays have lighted fools / The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! / Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, / And then is heard no more: it is a tale, / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / signifying nothing." Realises that life is only short and that life is like a play and the people are the actors and actresses in it. When someone dies his or her life is made into a story, and twisted. If someone doesn't achieve a lot from their life they are wasted. I think that this metaphor helped Macbeth's urge to be king grow. He wanted to make something of his life and realised that killing to get what he wanted was the only way to do it. He had become unfree and believes that life is a play, written from the start.
Conclusion
I think that the downfall of Macbeth has greatly mattered to the audience. Macbeth wanted to become king so as he could achieve something in his life and be remembered as "Brave King Macbeth" instead of just "Brave Macbeth" to make people proud of him. He tried his hardest to win high titles, but goes about it in all of the wrong ways. After the first murder Macbeth has no choice but to carry on murdering as he cannot stop himself.
Macbeth was afraid of fear itself. This scared him, but not enough to stop him, which just shows how determined Macbeth was to become king. I think that Macbeth's final downfall is caused by the fact that his guilty conscience rules his life.
I do feel sorry for Macbeth, as even though what he did was evil, his reason was that he wanted fulfilment in life. The only way he thought he could achieve this was to kill Duncan. Macbeth thought that after he had killed Duncan he would be king without any problems, fear caught up with him and he became obsessed with keeping the crown and saw everybody as a threat, even thought they weren't. He became trapped and fearful. After he had committed one murder he had to commit more, which became out of control.
Macbeth was a tragic hero. In the end he eventually fell to pieces, but remained fighting for his beliefs, although these beliefs changed from believing that Scotland should stand proud, to believing that he was an invincible king, Macbeth maintained the bravery and strength that he displayed in the beginning, which was the main strength in his character.