Macbeth Essay, Research Paper

I?m writing about Macbeth being a tragic hero. A tragic hero is someone who is very well

respected and loved, that falls to become the bad guy that people hate because of his own

stupidity. Macbeth is a tragic hero. His greatness led to his obsession then to his

downfall. In the story its shows his rise and fall because it was him verses himself.

Macbeth goes from a person with a very good mind to a crazy nut who does not really

think before he acts.

Macbeth starts out as this well known warrior. Then he becomes the Thane of

Cawdor. At this point everything is going great for Macbeth, then all of a sudden these

three witches start to tell Macbeth that he is Thane of Cawdor and he will become king

only if he kills Duncan. At this point this is where Macbeth starts to get weird. Macbeth

comes up with a plan to kill Duncan, he tells Lady Macbeth now she starts to take

control. She becomes the man of the two. She wanted to kill Duncan herself but she said

he looked to much like her father. ? Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, And ?tis not

done. The attempt and not the deed Confounds us. Hark! I laid the daggers ready, He

could not miss ?em. Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done it.? ( Lady

Macbeth pg 199 line 10) Now Macbeth is seeing things and thinking twice about killing

Duncan. But Lady Macbeth becomes the stronger person and tells him to do it. So far

Macbeth has went from a really good guy to a killer and a little crazy. That is one

example of he being a tragic hero.

Macbeth goes on with the killing of Duncan in his head. He cant sleep. But he

does become king of Scotland. But all his troubles are not over. Now he thinks his best

friend Banquo knows to much about him. Macbeth thinks he might say something and

does not want to take a chance of letting him going around knowing what he knows. So

Macbeth wants him to be killed. Now Macbeth gets three people to come against

Banquo. He tells these people how bad of a guy Banquo and that he is a back stabber, so

they will kill him. Eventho Banquo is not like that. ? Both you know Banquo was your

enemy? ( Macbeth page 213 line 114). I cant believe that Macbeth would even kill his

friend. Now the power is starting to go to his head and he keeps getting worse. As you

can see he is becoming a tragic hero more and more as the story goes on.

Toward the end of the play Lady Macbeth becomes crazy and very ill. Then she

passes away. Macbeth does not really care that she has died. If it was before when he first

came home from battle in the beginning he would have lost it. Now something like this

does not even phase him. ? She should have died hereafter, There would have been a

time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Creeps in this petty pace

from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted

fools The way to dust death. Out, out, brief candle! Life?s but a walking shadow, a poor

player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale

told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing.? ( Macbeth page 244 line 17)

Now he has lost it. He is just plain out crazy.

He thinks he can never be beat, because the witches have told him three

Apparitions. One was a armed head telling him to beware of the Thane of Fife. The

second was a bloody child that told him no one born of a woman should harm him. And

the last one was a crowned child with a tree in his hand saying that he will not be

defeated till great Birnam Wood comes against him.

The funny part is they all happen at once. Macduff and his men attack Macbeth

from Birnam Wood, And Macduff was not born of a woman. So Macbeth has put himself

in a corner that he can?t get out of. He winds up getting killed by Macduff. ? I will not

yield, To kiss the ground before young Malcolms feet, and to be baited with the rabble?s

curse. Though Birnam Wood be come to Dunsinane, and thou opposed, being 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?.? (Macbeth page 248 line 28)

Now Macbeth has reached his end. That is why I think of him as a tragic hero, by

all the stuff I just wrote about him. He started out good and just turned. But as you can

see he paid for it at the end.

THE END