Macbeth

Macbeth shows many qualities in a person that would define him as a good and noble man, worthy of labeling him as a tragic hero. A “tragic hero is a man of noble stature(Arp, Johnson 1221), Macbeth is the noble Thane of Glamis and loyal general to King Duncan of Scotland. Shakespeare’s tragic heroes find an eminent position in society, giving them a high social and political status. He shows true bravery and fought honorably for King Duncan in the beginning of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, defeating the invading rebel forces of Macdownwald and the invading Norwegian king in act 1. For what most impresses us about the tragic hero is not his weakness but his greatness. He is, in a sense, larger than life, or, as Aristotle said, “better than ourselves”(Arp, Johnson 1220). It seems that the Macbeth is destined for greatness by some supernatural being. Macbeth is noted for his bravery on the battlefield and is made Thane of Cawdor by King Duncan. It seems that as the play goes on and on the witches prophecy because more realistic and Macbeth is falling into their prophecy all to easy. According to Aristotle “the tragic hero is one who purifies the soul and heart of the audience”(www.enotes.com/Macbeth). Macbeth is a remarkable man of head and heart in which he is praised for “valour’s minion”(Macbeth Act 1, Scene 2). Macbeth is not an ordinary man but one of outstanding quality making him easily loved by the audience, which in turn ultimately heightens his downfall. Macbeth is a character of noble stature and good qualities, but a tragic hero is good, not perfect. The imperfections of Macbeth come from the three witches prophecy that Macbeth will some day become King. This is something that Macbeth cannot keep out of his head and is lingering over him. The supernatural sisterhood of the three witches strikes a key note in the play when they say “fair is foul and foul is fair”(Macbeth Act 1, Scene 1). This paradoxical formula summarizes the Macbeth as both a fair and foul