Macbeth: A Tragic Hero? William Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, attains a protagonist that evidently portrays himself as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a character that is not completely good or evil and has a tragic flaw that eventually leads to his downfall. Macbeth is the epitome of a tragic hero because he starts off as a noble man until his own actions, also influenced by others, bring him to his own death. The events that help take Macbeth to his end are the prophecies told to him by the three witches, Lady Macbeth's pressure that drives him into committing horrible actions, and his own ambition that takes over him and leaves him as nothing but a power and money hungry character. Macbeth starts off with Macbeth and Banquo being praised after battling bravely in a war against the Irish Invaders. “At the beginning of the play, he seems the epitome of a loyal subject, valiantly fighting the rebel forces to protect the king and preserve his power.” (Elaine Pilkington 1) King Duncan believed that Macbeth was tremendously heroic in the battle and decided to name him the new thane of Cawdor after executing the old one because of his betrayal. However, before hearing from the King, Macbeth and Banquo were on their way to the King's court when they were suddenly accompanied by three witches.The witches greet Macbeth as the thane of Glamis, which was his original and only title, and as the thane of Cawdor, which Macbeth was not yet informed of. The witches also tell Macbeth that he will be king one day along with Banquo's sons. The witches then disappear into thin air and leave both Macbeth and Banquo in great confusion and curiosity if anything spoken by the witches would ever come true. While the situation was being discussed between them, Ross and Angus arrive to bring them to the king and Ross informs Macbeth that the king has named him the new thane of Cawdor. Macbeth is amazed and taken aback that the witches' prophecy had come true. This only makes Macbeth more anxious for the prophecy that he will become king and makes him wonder if it will come true naturally or if he has to take action for it to be accomplished. “The intensity of the tragedy is dependent on whether the witches are perceived to be able to control the otherwise innocent Macbeth's actions, or if he is entirely responsible for his own demise.” (Jennifer Riedel 1) “In part, society has naturally accepted the portrayal of witches being the cause of many a character's downfall.”(McKinzie S. Heart 2) “By using witches, Shakespeare is capable of giving evil, and the cause of evil actions, an actual physical form for the audience to focus on.” (McKinzie 2) It is questioned whether it was the witches who tricked him into his actions or if it was already meant to happen. “His first words, “So fair and foul a day I have no seen” (1.3.36) echo the “Fair is foul and foul is fair” (1.1.10) of the three witches in scene one and immediately link him to them.” (Pilkington 1) The accuracy of the first prophecy arouses Macbeth's curiosity of if he will eventually become king or of what must happen for all of that to come into play. “Macbeth is easily captured by their power and by their prophecies, but note that they never tell him a lie. However, they do allow him to deceive himself. The devil does not lie... but leads us into temptation.” (Witches and Witchcraft 1) A courageous and loyal warrior, Macbeth and his desire for power and control had unfortunately been awaken by the witches' prophecy of him becoming king. “The witches' words were neutral. It is Macbeth that puts a moral value to them, concluding that he must perform an unnatural act to acquire the title of king.” (Pilkington 1) Macbeth knew that in order to get what he wanted, conspiracy and murder must happen whether he liked it or not. However, he was conflicted and kept going back and forth in his head if whether he should take action or remain loyal and trustworthy. Macbeth knew that King Duncan was nothing but good to him especially since he had so much faith in Macbeth and had decided to name him thane of Cawdor. He was aware that doing something so wrong such as murdering Duncan would only come with consequences he would have to face, including his guilt that would haunt him and drive him to insanity. “After considering that he could commit murder to achieve what the witches propose, he stifles the idea, saying, “If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me/ Without my stir” (1.3.143-44).” (Riedel 2) This evidently shows the noble and loyal part of Macbeth. It is apparent that before his ambition takes over and ruins him, Macbeth knows what is right from wrong and truly has a good heart. Once informed of the prophecies, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's wife, had only one thing on her mind and that was to be named Queen of Scotland. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth both knew that in order for Macbeth to become king, King Duncan had to be murdered. Macbeth sought a way to go about the situation without horrible consequences but he knew there was no other way in. Even though he already had an idea of what had to be done, Macbeth was unsure about being able to perform such a violent action. “Although he is not made physically impotent, Lady Macbeth challenges her husband's manhood by being more aggressive than he is, taunting him and suggesting, “When you durst do it, then you were a man” (1.7.55).” (Reidel 1) Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that he is womanly and a coward for not being mentally strong enough. She is a very sneaky character and has no shame or conscious. All she cares for is getting what she wants no matter what has to be done. She pressures Macbeth into doing whatever is needed in order to attain this title and breaks him until he gives in. However, Macbeth always had this wanting for power in him he had just needed someone to help pull it out of him and have his true colors shine. “The witches' words do not seduce Macbeth. He is compelled by his own ambition and his wife's ruthlessness.” (Pilkingoton 1) Knowing that King Duncan was going to Macbeth's castle for dinner, Lady Macbeth knew it was the perfect time to set off her plan to murder Duncan in their home. Macbeth was very hesitant when Lady Macbeth informed him of her idea. “But the clear knowledge that killing a king, a kinsman, and a guest in his house is against all social propriety, natural order, and human or humane behavior puts Macbeth at war with himself.” (Pilkington 1) He was aware that once he killed a wonderful leader like Duncan, he could never again be considered benevolent and humane. Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to go through with it telling him that it is the only way they could become King and Queen and that there is no other option. Throughout the play, Lady Macbeth is a huge influence on Macbeth's decisions and is the one who helps him maintain his role as a tragic hero. “Although not a “secret, black, and midnight hag” (4.1.48), as an evil female, Lady macbeth could be considered a witch according to the standards of Shakespeare's day.” (Riedel 1) Pressured into doing so while his ambition was creeping up on him, Macbeth surrendered to his wife's pleads and followed through with killing Duncan. However, once it was done, Macbeth felt nothing but regret, remorse, and disgust with himself. “He cannot voice an amen to an overheard prayer, “I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen' / Stuck in my throat” (2.2.30 31), having made himself no longer a man, no longer worth of blessing.” (Pilkington 1) Macbeth's guilt is at it's highest at this point and fears that Duncan's blood on his hands will never be able to be washed away. He is aware that what he's done is final and theres no turning back. Even though Macbeth feels sorry for what he's done, he does nothing to better his actions or his name. “Despite his profound remorse, he does nothing to right the wrong. His fear of earthly justice compels him to make more inhuman choices.” (Pilkington 1) Macbeth's actions lead him to make careless decisions, one after the other. To make sure neither him or Lady Macbeth are suspects of the murder, they set up Duncan's drunk and passed out chamberlains by smearing Duncan's blood all over them and killing them right afterwards before they decide to declare their innocence. Now that Macbeth is on a roll, it seems as if he will stop at nothing to get what he wants despite his deeply buried inner guilt. He knows that he has already done too much to turn back and disregard his desire for the throne. Macbeth has no other choice than to just go through with it until he has succeeded or it would have all been for nothing. Furthermore, Macbeth's paranoia leads him to believe that Banquo suspects him of being behind the tragedies that have occurred. He also knows that one of the prophecy's was that Banquo's sons will become king and Macbeth refuses to allow that to happen. Macbeth is aware that he must do something about Banquo and Fleance or else he could risk being exposed. Evidently, we start to see that the idea of murdering someone to get rid of a problem is becoming flexible and easy for Macbeth to take action on. “Murder becomes his primary tool of leadership.” (Pilkington 1) Macbeth is able to eliminate Banquo but Fleance escapes, putting Macbeth at risk. He also is unable to murder Macduff but proceeds to send killers to murder his wife and children with no hesitation. Macbeth's heartlessness grows with each action he takes. Clearly, neither the witches nor Lady Macbeth are the cause of Macbeth's newest actions. He plans these murders without informing Lady Macbeth and gives these orders from his own will and wanting to do so which shows the evil, greedy monster that Macbeth gradually has evolved to. Macbeth loses sight of what he once loved and thought was important. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth did anything for Lady Macbeth and listened to everything she said almost as if she was the man in the relationship. Once Macbeth's ambition jump started with Lady Macbeth's help, the roles completely switched. He was so sure of himself that he chose not to involve Lady Macbeth in his ideas and finally became dominant over her. Macbeth eventually reaches a horrible, low point when Lady Macbeth dies and he says, “She should have died hereafter, there would have been time for such a word.” (Shakespeare 244) His feelings are of carelessness towards his once beloved wife and disregards the tragedy because he is now so comfortable and used to death. Consequently, Macbeth is faced with Macduff in a battle in an attempt to sacrifice him for all the lives lost and the tragedies. He is sure he will win because the witches told him that no man born of a woman could harm him. He insists to Macduff that he can't defeat him because of the prophecy, little does he know that the witches had worded this prophecy in a tricky manner. Macduff claims that he was not born of a woman, but instead “from his mother’s womb / Untimely ripped” (Shakespeare 247). Macbeth is suddenly full of fear and shock but refuses to give up and surrender even though he knows he is doomed and his time of death has arrived. The old Macbeth is shown in this scene in a way that Macbeth wants to fight like the great soldier he once was and he insists on fighting until his death. This presents us with the karma and consequences that Macbeth had to face after doing wrong and sacrificing lives for his own selfish, greedy desires. At this point, his own ambition has taken over with the help of the witches and Lady Macbeth. Macbeth was eventually blinded by the power he had attained and lost any sanity he had left of reality. Many would want to blame Lady Macbeth and the witches because they may believe that they tricked him into screwing himself over and ruining his life. “In the case of Macbeth, the tragedy is more successful if the popular seventeenth century mentality is adopted and thereby the witches and Lady Macbeth are made partly to blame for his downfall.” (Riedel 2) However, as a true tragic hero, Macbeth and his own ambition are at fault for what had become of him. Evilness, greed, and selfishness took over Macbeth as a whole and drove him into doing things he could only blame himself for. ”The human soul cannot endure such evil. One way or another evil destroys the soul. Evil is incompatible with humanity.” (Pilkington 2) The power of evil is so severe that it subsequently destroys both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. “By the end of the play, Macbeth is a bloody tyrant, disappointed in all aspects of his life- his reign, his marriage, a family for a potential dynasty- and damned for eternity in his death.” (Pilkington 1) Even though they are not to blame, the witches and Lady Macbeth contribute a great deal in Macbeth's discovered ambition that eventually ruins him. Undoubtedly, we are able to witness Macbeth's transformation into the epitome of a tragic hero as he starts off as a noble, caring man and ends up as an avaricious, power and money hungry dead man.