Student Essay on The Tragedy of Macbeth

Aristotle defined a tragic hero as " A hero whose status means that his downfall will be significant, affecting many people... A tragic hero is one whose suffering reveals essential truths about humanity." When applied to the title character in William Shakespeare historic tragedy, MacBeth, it not only epitomises the definition given by Aristotle but also the Shakespearean definition of a tragic hero. This is that "the tragic hero is one born of noble birth or in a position of social importance to begin with and who is held in high esteem, but through an error of judgement (tragic flaw or hamartia) brings about their own downfall and destruction." In relation to MacBeth his hamartias are his vaulting ambition, moral rectitude and his allowance of others influence which support the perception of Macbeth embodying the characteristics of the tragic hero.

MacBeth fulfils all the requirements of a tragic hero in relation to the nature of Shakespearean tragedy. Shakespeare through the tragedy of frailties of humankind shows readers that the fall of man is inevitable due to the vaulting ambition, lack of moral rectitude and the continued allowance of the influence of others. He shows us through character development, key themes and the series of events leading up to his death. It is these hamartias that corrupt MacBeth and ultimately lead him to his demise.

MacBeth is initially portrayed as a brave, patriotic and confident soldier. It is because of this powerful, superior and almost supernatural status that the audience is shocked when MacBeth turns against his country and commits regicide. The initial impression of MacBeth is formed from other characters' views and the audience's introduction to him. MacBeth was portrayed as a patriotic hero, fighting for his king and country. He is also shown as a brave, courageous and loyal soldier of Scottish nobility. The audience regard MacBeth as a hero due to the characters opinion. Act I, Scene II 'For brave MacBeth, Well he deserves that name." This ennobled opinion is further developed when he first enters returning from the war and at what he thinks is his height of power. He appears to be of no threat to Scotland or the balance of nature and thus the audience is lulled into a false sense of security regarding his sealed fate, that is of any tragic hero, his demise.

MacBeth's downfall is attributed to his vaulting ambition throughout the play. MacBeth's initial rise and a trigger for his vaulting ambition was due to the witches' prophecy in Act I, Scene III when they said,

"First Witch: All hail, MacBeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!

Second Witch: All hail, MacBeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!

Third Witch: All hail, MacBeth, that shalt be king hereafter!"

MacBeth who is born of noble blood and is the Thane (Lord) of Glamis, appears to have not been heavily impacted by the prophecy until Ross brings him the news of his elevation to Thane of Cawdor due to his service throughout the war. It is then that MacBeth begins considering Kingship and the glories of it, resulting in the growth of his ambition. The witches are linked to Aristotle's idea of tragedy because they fuel his ambition and help set the stage for his lofty fall. "Two truths are told as happy prologues to the swelling Act Of the imperial theme." This aside illustrates MacBeth's growing ambition, as it is fostered to the point where he believes that the two titles of nobility that he possesses are just the beginning of his ascent to the throne, a height to which his desires will carry him. MacBeth's initial urges of vaulting ambition are controlled as he waits for fate to decide his path

A crucial scene in MacBeth is in Act I, Scene IV where the naming of the heir to the throne occurs, resulting in Macbeth acting on his now uncontrollable ambition and ultimately sealing his fate. When King Duncan names his son Malcolm as his heir and the Prince of Cumberland, Macbeth experiences extreme jealousy and confusion. This is because of his previous belief that fate would carry him to his ultimate goal as what he believes to be King and thus fulfil his destiny as prescribed by the witches when they told him "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!." His ambitious ways lead him to invite the King and his sons to his castle after he realises that he will have to overcome the obstacle of Malcolm as well as King Duncan. Without Macbeth's knowledge of the "prophecy" he would not have acted on his urges of ambition and jealousy. However now he comments in reference to Malcolm in an aside, "That is a step, on which I must fall down or else o'erleap, for in my way it lies." It is now that the reader can form a reliable impression of Macbeth who has indeed not been denied the human qualities of ambition and jealousy, which have led to the ruin of his moral rectitude.

When Lady Macbeth, receives a letter from Macbeth telling her of the strange prophecies, her greed and ambition occupy her thoughts turning them sour as she plots how Macbeth will rise to the throne.

"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 kindness of human kindness to catch the nearest way."

This shows that Lady Macbeth believes that her husband is too weak to carry out such an act of violence. When Macbeth arrives to tell her that he cannot murder Duncan she challenges his manhood through her criticism of his military strength and by 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 affeered to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire? Wouldst thous has that which thou esteem'st the ornament of life and live a coward in thine own esteem."

These criticisms result in having a deep impact on Macbeth and shows a weakness in his brave character and ultimately lead him further down a path in which he lacks moral rectitude, has vaulting ambition and allows the influence of others to affect decisions. Thus impacting on the balance of nature and directly leads him to his demise.

Disorder surrounds Macbeth from when he acts upon an immoral decision to commit regicide and claim the throne. The natural order of balance of nature is disturbed and it is obvious that from this point on that Macbeth has deserted all moral rectitude he once possessed. After Duncan is murdered unnatural things start to occur, such as Duncan's horses eating each other and an owl attacking a falcon, supporting the theory that the balance of nature will become disturbed following an act that challenges fate. Ross commented in Act II, Scene IV, " Gainst nature still: Thriftless ambition that will ravin up thine own life's means!" Informing the audience that one's life can be ruined by uncontrolled ambition, insinuating that Macbeth's act of uncontrolled ambition could lead him to his downfall. Inevitably Macbeth's ambition is one of his hamartia that leads this tragic hero to his cathartic downfall.

After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth experiences paranoia that someone will try to murder him and decides to be rid of the most likely suspects, Banquo and Fleance (Banquo's son). It is at this point, where Macbeth organised the murder of Banquo and Fleance without any external encouragement, influence or guidance, that he has become ultimately corrupt. Macbeth's ambitious rise to the throne has caused him to guard his noble position regardless of its immoral nature. This is conveyed to the audience in Act III, Scene I where Macbeth says, "To be thus is nothing; But to be safely thus." This illustrates Macbeth's insecurity of his position on the throne and suggests why he strategically ordered the murder of Banquo and Fleance.

In Act IV, Scene I, Macbeth loses total control when he is lulled into feeling safe because of his failing to read the witches apparitions inferentially. This shows how the influence of others has impacted on Macbeth's conscience and soothed his paranoia.

"Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff. Beware the Thane of Fife... Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man; for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth... Be lion mettled, proud, and take no care, who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him..."

The witches' apparition and prophecy in this scene soothes Macbeth's fear of being overthrown because he has not seen the concealed truth in what he has been told. This marks the beginning of his tragic downfall and loss of total control.

Macbeth's decision to attack Macduff indirectly by murdering his family is one that ultimately seals his fate and takes his life. By murdering Macduff's family he has invited Macduff to an avenging duel. When Macduff becomes aware of the terrible act that Macbeth has committed he vows to murder Macbeth and to avenge his family. Unsuspecting and almost naïve in regards to his fate as he began, Macbeth faces his downfall when, Malcolm, Macduff, the Thanes and many men of Scotland organise the attack on the King of Scotland. They camouflage themselves with the branches of Birnam Wood and it is this act, which fulfils the third apparition that until Great Birnam Wood moves to high Dunsinane Hill, Macbeth will be safe from harm. When Macbeth faces Macduff he is shocked to learn that Macduff was "untimely ripped from his mothers womb" and therefore is not of "woman born." Knowing that he faces his downfall Macbeth still fights Macduff bravely, like a true tragic hero. His last words were, "I will not yield to kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet, and to be baited with the rabble's curse. Though Birnam Wood be come to Dunsinane, and thou opposed, being of no woman born; Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff; and damned be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'" This confirms the title of tragic hero regarding Macbeth and his catharsis.

It is in the characteristics of the tragic hero not to ultimately succeed in his goal and undeniably Macbeth does not achieve his ultimate goal but instead meets his tragic end which is caused by his tragic flaws of; vaulting ambition, lack of moral rectitude and the allowance of the fatal influence of others. The two main driving forces behind Macbeths self destruction are, first the witches in encouraging his ambition and the second, Lady Macbeth's clever emotional manipulation and her ability to blackmail him into his first evil deed. Thus proving that exposure of character flaws through the influence of others can be fatal as it was for the tragic hero, Macbeth. MacBeth as a result of all the flaws of a tragic hero has fallen to his death. "I will try the last. Before my, body I throw my warlike shield." This fulfils Aristotles and Shakespeare's definition of a tragic hero for they attempt to be god-like, have moments of recognition and ultimately fail.