In the beginning of scene 1, Macbeth experiences a powerful hallucination. In his hallucination he ponders over a dagger, his murder weapon for King Duncan's eventual death. The hallucination is significant because it is a direct product of his guilt, proving he is remorseful about his actions, thus showing anti-heroic traits. The hallucination was triggered by his subconscious because his good nature would not be able to commit murder and treason by killing his King, unless he was not his true self momentarily. The fact that Macbeth experiences such guilt towards the deed proves he is an anti-hero. During the end of soliloquy, Macbeth begins to enjoy the evil horror of the moment. This character shift shows out a villainous side to him, bringing out the heartless, ruthless soldier within him. This reflects the traits of a villain, but an anti-hero as well, as he has a flawed sense of morality. This proves that he may lie somewhere on a spectrum in between the two labels. The scene ends when Macbeth is outside Duncan's chambers and he says "Hear it not Duncan, for it is a knell/ That summons thee to heaven or hell" (63-64). The manner in which he says this creates a very evil vibe, almost as if he has convinced himself that Duncan is deserving of this horrible fate. .
In scene 2, Macbeth is violently awoken by the act he has just committed. He is disgusted at himself due to his full awareness that killing is morally repugnant, something an anti-hero can distinguish. His wife feels proud of him, and she declares him as a man, something she renounced of him subsequently when he decided not to kill Duncan. This shows plenty about his complex character because it seems as though he was driven by the approval of his wife. This shows that Macbeth is in fact an anti-hero because he has weaknesses, this being his wife's belittling of his masculinity. It also portrays an insecure side of him, one that can be taken advantage of and manipulated, something Lady Macbeth makes use of.
