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Macbeth

 

            
             What exactly is a tragic hero? A tragic hero is someone through choice and circumstance is caught up in a sequence of events that inevitably results in disaster. There is normally a protagonist, and in this play Macbeth is the villain. There are many factors which contribute greatly to Macbeth's downfall. However, Macbeth at once held a high standard as king that evokes sympathy, but eventually had a downfall, thus making him a tragic hero.
             The prophecies which were told by the witches were one factor that contributed to his downfall. If it had not been for the witches telling him that he was to be Thane of Cawdor, and the King of Scotland, Macbeth would have stayed his ordinary self. As a result of the prophecies, this brought up Macbeth's curiosity of how he could be King of Scotland. "If chance will have me King, why, without my stir," (Act I, sc.iii, lines 143-144). As this progresses, Macbeth slowly relies on the witches prophecies, which begins to corrupt his character.
             The influence of Macbeth's wife, Lady Macbeth also help with his downfall to a tragic hero. Lady Macbeth's character in the beginning reveals that she is a lovable person. When Lady Macbeth is ready to kill King Duncan herself, it showed that Mady Macbeth could not murder Duncan because he reminded her of her father, which proves that Lady Macbeth has a heart deep inside of her. Lady Macbeth plays and important role in this play because she provided evil, which caused Macbeth to assassinate King Duncan. "Out damned spot, out" (Act V, sc.i). After Macbeth killed Duncan, he later regrets it. As this progresses we can start to see the change in Macbeth's character. It was Lady Macbeth who introduced the concept of murder to Macbeth.
             Macbeth's ambition also influenced the downfall of his character. However, Macbeths ambition has not been strong enough to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth's influence also corrupts the play because if not for Lady Macbeth, his ambition would not have intensified enough to drive him to keep his title as King of Scotland no matter what it took, even if it meant murder.


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