Classical Heroes Essay, Research Paper

?In order to answer

this question we must first understand what is meant by ?Tragic hero?. The

classical term was coined in ancient Greek drama, and can be seen in its

earliest known example, Aristotle’s ‘Poeticus’. The definition of a tragic hero

includes several criteria. Firstly, the character must be important, and his

circumstances and actions must affect a plethora of people, if not the whole

world. Secondly the character must be good-natured, well known and respected

brave and of good repute. Thirdly, the character must have one tragic flaw,

which leads to his downfall. The fourth criterion is that the tragic hero?s

high status or rise to power must show a decline in any period. Lastly, the

tragic hero must redeem himself despite his flaw and eventually create sympathy

for the character. ?An evil tyrant, on

the other hand, can be defined as someone who is merciless and greedy, and who

kills for his own personal gain. The character should have a bad reputation,

and be generally disliked. They should show a hunger for power and control, and

demonstrate a lack of compassion for others, which leads to selfish acts. ?Macbeth, at

different stages in the play, demonstrates many of the characteristics of each

personae. In the early stages of the play, we can see that Macbeth commands

respect, and has a good reputation for being brave and loyal. As we can see

from this speech, given by Macbeth after his appointment as Thane of Glamis, he

is genuinely loyal to his king and country, and is honourable and courageous in

battle:??? ?The service and

the loyalty I owe, ??? In doing it, pays

itself. Your Highness’ part ??? Is to receive our

duties, and our duties ??? Are to your

throne and state, children and servants, ??? Which do but what

they should, by doing everything ??? Safe toward your

love and honour.? ??????????? (Act 1:

Scene 4: Line 22)Indeed, if Macbeth did not display these characteristics

then the title would not have been bestowed upon him in the first place.

Macbeth is already appearing to fit the criteria for a tragic hero, as he is of

good repute, respected, brave, and honourable. His actions have so far affected

many people, as he has saved Scotland from invasion and played a large part in

a battle. So, from the very beginning Macbeth is demonstrating some characteristics

of a tragic hero, now we must see how his character develops. In the next

scene, when he meets Lady Macbeth she seems to have planned to kill Duncan

already:??? ?To beguile the

time, ??? Look like the

time; bear welcome in your eye, ??? Your hand, your

tongue; look like th? innocent flower, ??? But be the

serpent under?t. He that?s coming ??? Must be provided

for; and you shall put ??? This night?s

great business into my dispatch, ??? Which shall to

all our nights and days to come ??? Give solely

sovereign sway and masterdom.? ??????????? (Act 1:

Scene 5: Line 61)This dialogue suggests that perhaps Lady Macbeth has already

decided that in order to become kind, Macbeth must eliminate Duncan. However,

Macbeth stills shows reluctance to be disloyal to his king: ??? ?We will proceed

no further in this business, ??? He hath honoured

me of late, and I have bought ??? Golden opinions

from all sorts of people, ??? Which would be

worn now in their newest gloss, ??? Not cast aside so

soon.? ??????????? (Act 1:

Scene 7: Line 31)Perhaps Macbeth is merely being selfish and wants to be

appreciated for a while longer, or maybe his conscience is causing his resolve

to falter, either way he is showing mercy. Mercy is not a virtue of an evil

tyrant, and so we can say that Macbeth is not at this stage an evil tyrant. At

this stage Lady Macbeth tries to goad Macbeth into considering killing Duncan

by insulting him, calling him a coward and questioning whether he is afraid to

be the same in action as in desire. The contrast between action and desire is

seen throughout the play, and it is a strong feature of Lady Macbeth?s

persuasive speeches to Macbeth. ?In Act 2 Macbeth

kills Duncan, after being persuaded to do so by his wife. His wife then returns

to the scene of the crime to complete her plan by incriminating the guards.

Once the murder has been carried out, Macbeth seems repentant:??? ?Wake Duncan with

thy knocking. I would thou couldst.? ??????????? (Act 2:

Scene 2: Line 76)This implies that he is regretful after killing Duncan. This

is another example of Macbeth?s conscience coming into play after almost being

forced into doing something by Lady Macbeth. I would seem already that the

?evil tyrant? was not Macbeth, but his wife. In the following scenes, Macbeth

and his wife act out their plan, and Malcom and Donalbain escape to England and

Ireland respectively in order to avoid accusation. Macbeth is named king of

Scotland, and is invested at Scone. This is the last of the prophecies for

Macbeth (made by the witches) fulfilled. ?In Act 3 Banquo

begins to suspect that Macbeth has played a part in the events, which lead to

his being invested. When Macbeth realises that Banquo is suspicious of him,

this together with his fears of Banquo and the prophecies made to him by the

witches, causes Macbeth to decide to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. This is

because the witches told Banquo that he would not be a king himself, but that

he would father kings. The fact that everything the witches have said has so

far come true worries Macbeth. Banquo is murdered by men who are hired by

Macbeth, but his son Fleance escapes. Then, at Macbeth?s castle he begins to

show signs of delusion and he hallucinates, seeing Banquo. This shows that he

is feeling guilty for what he has done. Surely an evil tyrant would not feel

remorse, sorrow or guilt? At this point I think we can conclude that at this

stage Macbeth is not an evil tyrant, but is in fact a Tragic Hero whose fatal

flaw has been exploited by his wife. His fatal flaw is his pride, and his

ambition, which Lady Macbeth was able to use to manipulate him. By Act 3 Scene

5 however, people are beginning to suspect Macbeth:??? ?..And I do think ??? That had he

Duncan?s sons under his key? ??? As, and?t please

heaven, he shall not?they should find ??? What ?twere to

kill a father. So should Fleance.? ??????????? (Act 3:

Scene 6: Line 17)This is implying that Macbeth had something to do with the

murders so far committed, and we find in the next act that Macduff has fled to

England. Macduff surely suspects Macbeth too at this point. Macbeth goes to see

this witches, and upon drinking a potion prepared by them, he has a vision

of? ?A line of kings, Banquo at the

head?. He is also told that he shall be killed by ?None of woman born?. Macbeth

takes this to mean that he is invincible, and this seems to give him a new

passion for his murderous acts. By this time Macbeth seems to have gone mad,

hallucinating and seeing ghosts. Macbeth has Macduff?s family and staff

murdered, and his castle destroyed. At this stage, Lady Macbeth begins to go

mad. She begins sleepwalking, and frantically washing her hands:??? ?Out damn spot,

out I say!? ??????????? (Act 5:

Scene 1: Line 34) In act 5 scene 2 Malcom, Macduff, and the English army

attack Macbeth’s castle, and Macbeth is finally killed by Macduff after a long

fight, during which it is revealed that Macduff was born by caesarean. ?Now, towards the

end, after Lady Macbeth commits suicide, Macbeth takes his actions into his own

hands. He loses all signs of being a tragic hero, and adopts most of the

characteristics of an evil tyrant. Therefore I conclude that Macbeth was a

tragic hero, as he maintained throughout the play, until his madness, most of

the characteristics of a tragic hero. His flaw was his pride and ambition which

were exploited by his wife. Once his wife went mad, this drove Macbeth mad too,

and he began to become evil. Therefore I believe than until the end Macbeth was

a tragic hero, but he became evil.