Macbeth Tragic Hero

A Shakespearean tragic hero may be defined as an exceptional being of high degree that contributes to his own degeneration and illustrates a personality flaw. The character of Shakespeare's Macbeth is a perfect example of a tragic hero. Macbeth can be defined as the tragic hero because he is noble by birth with many heroic qualities, but his ambition, combined with the witches' prophecies and the influence of Lady Macbeth leads to his degeneration of character, which brings on a tragedy. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a noble, brave, and courageous person. He is extremely loyal and honourable. A wounded soldier describes Macbeth to King Duncan as, "Cannons overcharged with double cracks...doubly
redoubled strokes upon the foe, " (I, ii, 37-39).
King Duncan is joyous towards Macbeth and his soldiers and rewards Macbeth by making him Thane of Cawdor, “No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive...and with his former title greet Macbeth...what he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won", (I, ii, 63-68). Before hearing his new title Macbeth and Banquo are returning to Scotland from a fierce battle between the Norwegians and the Scottish. They have just won the war for Duncan. This shows the noble virtue of Macbeth`s tragic character. They then encounter three witches. These three witches appear to be wicked, repulsive, and signify all that is wrong and corrupt, but Macbeth`s over-confident attitude is the first characteristic the witches detect, and take advantage of. The witches tell Macbeth that he is going to be Thane of Cawdor, and then be king. They influence, manipulate and arouse Macbeth's curiosity on how he could be the King
of Scotland. Later in the scene Ross enters and tells Macbeth that he is the Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth is shocked by what he hears. The witches' prophecies now spark Macbeth's ambition to become the King of Scotland. If the witches had not told Macbeth these prophecies then Macbeth would still be a noble, brave, and courageous person, but the witches altered his viewpoints about his morals and values. The prophecies told by the witches were one of the factors that contributed to the degeneration of his character. The witches' prophecies stirs Macbeth's ambition, but what drives him to become even more powerful is his wife.
Lady Macbeth is very pleased to hear of Macbeth's victory and she is very supportive once he's successfully considered Thane of Cawdor. She sees the horizon for her husband is now broader, and she wants only the best for him. Macbeth then tells her about the witches prophecies, and this gives her scope to an even grander possibility. Lady Macbeth drives Macbeth into following his ambition despite what is right or wrong. She does not allow Macbeth to be coward and she attacks his manhood:

What beast was't then/ That made you break this enterprise to me?/ When you durst do it, then you were a man;/ And, to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man. Nor time nore place Did then adhere, and yet you would make both;/They have made themselves, and that
their fitness now/ Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me:/ I would, while it was smiling in my face,/ Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,/ And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you/ Have done to this.(I , vii, .48-59).

Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to follow through with the killing of King Duncan. Lady Macbeth becomes the second persuasive factor that contributes to the degeneration of Macbeth`s character.

After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth's ambition intensified and leads to his new character that was consumed by a life of evil. Macbeth was contained by greed, violence, and became power hungry. He would do anything to keep the throne even if that means to kill Banquo, Fleance and slaughter Macduff's family. He begins to think that all are against him, and makes the mistake of relying solely on the witches' prophecies. Macbeth misinterprets his own power and mistakenly believes he can change fate. Macbeth`s ambition becomes the personality flaw that leads to the degeneration of his character.

Macbeth`s ambition combined with the witches prophecies and the influence of Lady Macbeth leads to his degeneration of character, which brings on a tragedy. If the witches had not told Macbeth these prophecies then Macbeth would still be a noble, brave, and courageous person, but the witches altered his viewpoints about his morals and values. Lady Macbeth becomes the second persuasive factor, as she does not allow Macbeth to become a coward. Macbeth 's ambition crippled his conscience and he chose to follow his greed as well as the depraved influences. Macbeth lost his morals, sanity, love for his wife, and as a result lost his life. All that Macbeth worked for was reversed as a result of his weakness.