Macbeth

A struggle is present in every tragedy, as a person tries to overcome

their flaws and fit the mold of their ideal. In the play Macbeth by

William Shakespeare, we discover that Macbeth is a tragic hero.

Macbeth is very ambitious, courageous, and a moral coward: all these

things lead to his tragic death at the end of the play.

At the beginning of the play, Shakespeare defines Macbeth as a hero

very clearly. From the courage in defense of Scotland is significant in

the opening scene. However, he is very ambitious to be king. At the

beginning of the play, he was loyal to the king. While he did imagine

of murder his mind rejects it and said, "Why, if fate will have me king,

why, chance may crown me," - Act I, Sc 3, p.44-45.

Yet increasingly his ambition defeated his good nature. When Duncan

named Malcolm the Prince of Cumberland, Macbeth decided on the

murder of Duncan. When Duncan arrived at Inverness, Macbeth

controlled his ambition for the time being and did not kill Duncan. The

failing of his decision was soon reflected by Lady Macbeth who called

him a coward. From then on, after the murder of Duncan, Macbeth

entered into a life of evil.

Since he overcame his good nature, he no longer needed to be with

his friend Banquo. He wanted to protect his ambition, by killing the

king, and now he killed Banquo, due to the prediction of what the

witches said about Banquo's son becoming the king. Macbeth wanted

to ensure that he would reach his ambition without problems. "Hear it

not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven, or to

hell." -Act 2, Scene 1, p.73.

Macbeth, who now no longer needed any encouragement from Lady

Macbeth, started to leave her in ignorance of his plans. Near the end

of the play, Lady Macbeth sleepwalked and had a dream about the

killing of Duncan and Banquo. She died because of all this pressure

and her guilt about the murder. Soul of Macbeth have been destroyed

since Macbeth love Lady Macbeth very much, as shown in Act I, Sc.

5, p.58, "My Dearest Love."

The power of nemesis is shown clearly at the end of the play when

Macduff came back to murder Macbeth. Macbeth would never have

guessed that Macduff would come back for revenge for the killing in

Macduff's household. This nemesis shows an additional force beyond

Macbeth's control. Because of Macbeth's strong beliefs in ambition

and the witches, when he found out Macduff was not born of woman,

and also found out the Birnam Wood had been seen moving, he

realized that the third apparition had deceived him and he understood

he was no longer safe. Before his death he shouts out his last words

to Macduff. "Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on,

Macduff, And damn'd be him that first cries, `Hold, enough!" -Act 5,

Scene 8, p.249.

Through the development of this tragedy, Macbeth has turned from a

fine natured person to an evil person. His ambition, strong belief in

the witches, has brought him to a tragic end of his life, and caused

many people to lose their lives.