Role Of Heroism In Macbeth

“ There is a heroism in crime as well as in virtue. Vice and infamy have their altars and their religion.”---William Hazlitt. William Hazlitt was considered one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history of the English language. In his opinion, the nature of heroism is not confirmed. This idea was explained in the tragic play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare portrayed vivid characters with contrasting properties and characteristics. And many of their behaviors could represent the same heroism from contradistinctive aspects. Especially, from Macbeth, Macduff and Banquo’s conducts, audiences could clearly feel three distinctive aspects of heroism. After the dramatic character development, Macbeth becomes the hero for the
going through the entire play, he is full of iron will and selflessness. He makes a great sacrifice to save his country. In order to bring Scotland back to orderliness as soon as possible after Macbeth kills king Duncan and crowned himself as a king, he journeys to England to meet with Malcolm and the King of England without arranging protection for his family and leaves them unguarded. And because of that, Macduff’s wife and children are murdered by Macbeth. After Macduff is told the grievous news about his wife and kids,he states that “But, gentle heavens, Cut short all intermission; front to front Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself; Within my sword's length set him; if he 'scape, Heaven forgive him too!” (IV,iii,234~237). Macduff is not knocked out by the death of his kinsfolks but confirmed his determination that he would give his full support to Malcolm to recapture the kingship.As a great hero, Macduff quickly relieves the unbearable pain and sacrifices his own family to achieve bigger interests of his country and citizens. Moreover, not everyone could become a hero, for most of the heroic characters, they are just following their destiny. And Macduff’s experience is a good instance to demonstrate the destiny theory. In the three witches’ view, “Macbeth！Macbeth！Macbeth！beware Macduff; Beware the thane of Fife．Dismiss me．Enough”(IV i 70~71). And “Be bloody，bold，and resolute; laugh
He is killed by his best friend Macbeth in order to prevent him being the father of kings like what the witches states. However, we can still find some heroic characteristics from an unusual aspect. He is the man with honest and moral. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth and him meet the three witches and receive the prophey together. Banquo argues that, “ But 'tis strange: And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence” (I,iii,121~125). After the first prophet come true, Macbeth is quickly influenced by the words of the witches. But Banquo is never confused by the witchcrafts, he consists of the things that he believes the witches will harm them badly if they stick into witches’ predicts and keeps his loyalty to his country and king. Moreover, in the quote, he tries to wake up Macbeth from his dangerous desires of kingship. Banquo’s experience expresses his ordinary heroism. His heroism is not bright like Macduff’s heroism or foul like Macbeth’s heroism. However, this kind of ordinary heroism is closer to the reality. Everyone could understand it and everyone would appraise