Macbeth: Character Analysis Often times, we judge others with extreme opinions and dismiss the incredible feats of talent they may possess. Although these same people we judge gives us good reason to judge, it’s better to see who they really are, and instead dismiss the act they put off. In Shakespeare’s’ tragedy, Macbeth is a great thane who is also a sane normal man. From the beginning, we are told about Macbeth’s triumphs. We see that he is a great warrior, “For brave Macbeth-well he deserves this name,-disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel, which smok'd with bloody execution."
Macbeth is a tragic hero, a person of high rank who is brought to eventual ruin by a flaw in his character Macbeth`s tragic flaw is his ambition,which leads him to a series of bloody and increasingly indefensible acts. The most apparent flaw, and perhaps the most in Macbeth`s character, is his lack of patience and temperance. These shortcomings haunted Macbeth,causing him to let his overvaulting ambition rush fate, and hasten his doom. Macbeth could not wait for an appointment to a position of more power. Instead , he murdered the king to take his place.
How is Macbeth a tragic hero? A Shakespearean tragic hero may be defined as “an exceptional being of high degree” who contributes to his own degeneration and illustrates a personality flaw. The character of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is in all ways the perfect example of a tragic hero. His greatness and bravery in battle for his country ultimately leads him to be a great thane and eventually a powerful king, making his actions have a significant impact on a country. Macbeth’s ambition on becoming a king leads to an obsession to remain in his current position.
Macbeth is a tragic hero who is undone by his own ambition and secret desire to become king. This is the tragic flaw, or hamartia, that results in his final doom. The irony of this tragic flaw is that Macbeth recognises himself the impact that his ambition is having upon him and almost predicts how it could all end badly in his soliloquy in Act I scene 7: I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself And falls on th'other. Macbeth is a character that not only has his tragic flaw but also allows himself, at least initially, to be dominated and influenced by his wife. This is one area in which perhaps Macbeth as a tragic hero is distinct, as in other cases, such as Julius Caesar, he ignores his wife's advice.
Macbeth says to himself, “If good, why do I yield to that suggestion/ Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair/ And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,/ Against the use of nature?” (1.3.135-138). This quotation tells us that Macbeth’s strong ambition tells him to want more because he feels unsatisfied. He thinks of murdering King Duncan and fulfilling the last prophecy because consciously, Macbeth knows that it is the only way to satisfy his ambition for things he does not have and that is by becoming the King of Scotland. This will eventually lead to his downfall and death, as karma exists. We know that it isn’t right for Macbeth to become the king, as Malcolm is the heir to the throne.
He can report,/ As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt/ The newest state.” (1.2.1-3), to which blood indicates the open wounds Macbeth had caused to him. Shakespeare’s use of blood in this scene represents the loyalty and honor as Macbeth killed Macdonwald in defense of the king. After the battle, Macbeth was rewarded with a new title as the Thane of Cawdor yet he was not completely satisfied as he became greedy. Shakespeare also uses bloody images to foreshadow future events associated with Macbeth’s power. Aside from symbolizing blood as honor, he uses it to demonstrate the character of Macbeth and his drastic personality change as the play progresses.
There are an abundant amount of accounts in Shakespeare’s poem, Macbeth, which depict Macbeth as being morally ambiguous. Throughout the story, Macbeth is seen as heroic, evil, and misfortunate. Ultimately, Macbeth is tragic hero insofar as he was once a hero; however, he allowed for his ambition to get the best of him and lead him to his downfall. First of all, the beginning of the poem, the Sergeant glorifies Macbeth by notifying King Duncan of his heroic actions in battle. “For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name) disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution, like Valour’s minion carved out his passage, till he faced the slave, which never shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, till he unseamed
Both characters show signs of guilty conscience later in the play and eventually die for their tragic flaws. Brutus and Macbeth have similar situations; however, there is much difference in the characteristics and personality of the characters. Brutus’s intention is reasonable and straightforward while Macbeth commits the crime because of his ambitious and corrupt characteristics. Brutus murders Caesar for his country and well being of the people whereas Macbeth does it for his own self gain. Brutus is a Roman nobleman who loves his country greatly.
This symbolizes the audacious soldier who fought and got injured in the battle for his country. Next, the sergeant says “Which smoked with bloody execution” (I:2). He is referring to Macbeth here where his sword is bloody and he is brave by killing the enemy. After Shakespeare briefly uses the symbol of blood with honor, it quickly changes to a theme of treason. It starts off with Lady Macbeth asking the spirits “Of direst cruelty!
The watchdogs are men like Macduff, Malcolm and the young Siward who fight against Macbeth because they believe that Macbeth is poisoning Scotland. Much like today’s society where soldiers are adulated for protecting their country, Shakespeare creates men that admire martyrdom as implied when Ross tells Siward that his son has died, “he only lived but till