Macbeth: Macbeth - A Tragic Hero :: essays research papers

Macbeth Macbeth - A Tragic Hero     "(Sometimes a tragic hero is created, non through his sustain villainy),but rather through some flaw in him, he being one of those who are in highstation and good fortune, manage Oedipus and Thyestes and the famous men of suchfamilies as those." (Poetics, Aristotle). Every great tragedy is dominated bya protagonist who has within himself a tragic flaw, besides much or too little ofone of Aristotles twelve virtues. In Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth,a great Scottish general and thane of Glamis, has just won an significant battle,when he is told by three witches that he will become thane of Cawdor and thenking of Scotland. After Macbeth is given Cawdor by fag Duncan, he takes thewitches words for fair play and conspires against Duncan with his wife. WhenDuncan comes to Macbeths castle that night, Macbeth kills him and takes thecrown for himself after Duncans sons flee from Scotland. Then Macbeth reignsfor a while, has several people killed, and is eventually slain by Macduff whenhe and Malcolm return leading the armies of England. frequently people read theplay and automatically conclude that Macbeths tragic flaw is his ambitionthat he is compelled to commit so many acts of violence by his impulse for power.However, by carefully examining the first act, one can determine the defect inMacbeths character that creates his ambition his true tragic flaw. Macbethstragic flaw is not his ambition as most people believe, but rather his trust inthe words of the witches and in his wifes decisions.     At the beginning of the play Macbeth has no designs on the throne, andhe does not start plotting until his wife comes up with a plan. When firstfaced with the witches words, Macbeth expresses astonishment and disbeliefrather than welcoming them when he says, "...to be King stands not within theprospect of belief, no more than to be Cawdor...."(1.3.73-75). When confron tedwith the witches proclamation that he is to be king, Macbeth responds as aloyal subject would not as a man with secret aspirations in his heart. He hasno reason to hide his true feelings at this point so therefore it can beassumed that Macbeth has not yet truly considered killing the king. Even afterthe first of the witches predictions comes true, Macbeth does not plot againstthe king but instead decides to leave it to peril. "(Aside) If chance willhave me King, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir."(1.3.143-144).Macbeth has already been granted the title of thane of Cawdor, but still he