Macbeth. Progression of a Tragic Hero

Kevin Durran Ms. Bural ENG3U1-02 November 27, 2011 Macbeth, the Progression of a Tragic gunslinger In calamity people are tested by enceinte suffering and must face decisions of ultimate consequence. Some meet the altercate with deeds of despicable cruelty, while others demonstrate their ability to confront and outperform adversity, winning our admiration and proving the greatness of human potential (Aristotle). The fibre Macbeth is an prototypal paragon in Shakespearean literature he truly embodies the human momentivity of the sad hero.The aspects that lead to the Protagonists downfall are infinite three major figures contri unlesse to his progression to the tragic hero. The first organism the prophecies from the enamores, noblewoman Macbeths malicious influence that disoriented his counsel and eventually his aspiration to achieve greatness by becoming King. Curiosity and tragedy have gone fleet in hand throughout archives the aphorism Curiosity killed the cat can be p ersonified through Macbeths demise as his wonder is remedied by the witchs prophecies.The witchs vague foretelling wholly lead Macbeth to curiosity, by stating the twain titles he does not have All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor All hail, Macbeth, gravitational constant shalt be king hereafter (I, III, 49-50) inciting Macbeths confusion to be single-minded from the counsel of his wife. While each prophecy is said his level of curiosity increases. Another example of Macbeths curiosity is shown through his hallucinations as he goes forth with the reach of Duncan, Is this a pricker which I re expose originally me, The handle toward my hand?Come permit me clutch thee a prickle of the mind, a fictitious creation adjudicate not my measurings, which expression they walk, for business organisation (2, I, 41-42, 46, 65). The quote projects . Macbeth tends to format his ideal future by using false prophecies which in beat rid him of his worries and concerns for these prophecies prophesised that he testament stay king. To re cash in ones chips Macbeths curiosity he cherished the prophecies to make him what he wanted to hear. The definition of Emasculation is to make a man less of a man through verbal influence such examples of this are shown from the character Lady Macbeth, who contri moreoveres to Macbeths downfall.Lady Macbeth has shown countless times why she is such a large factor to Macbeths demise she is portrayed as a manipulative prick. By ultimately forcing Macbeth to go along and murder Duncan she introduces him to the origination of his tragedy, because of her planning out the murder she ultimately distorts his judgement. After the shaky Macbeth assassinate his dear king, the audience will notice a change in character as regret as a noble Macbeth turns into a depressed and confused King.Duncans murder was just the beginning, to maintain his power and reign over Scotland he continued to kill because murder at the time seemed to ensure his title. Lady Macbeth is considered a large factor in the progression of Macbeth an honourable nobleman to the tragic hero she relayed the concept of murder to him initiating his fulfillment of his abstruse dark desires. Macbeths ambition is minor factor in his progression towards him being the tragic hero. His ambition alone was never such a striving force, Lady Macbeths emasculation blown-up/provoked thoughts of Duncans murder.His ambition was never so great that he would actually assassinate his king but the medleys of the prophecies which added to his level of curiosity waken his dormant aspirations. The emasculation he received from his wife added to his ambitions, as more or less he was challenged to murder the king, this shows a great example of his fall from the true to the tragic hero. With these new factors adding to his ambition, greed, lust, violence combines to a malicious power supperless tyrant. Tragedy occurs when noble or great persons are led, t hrough insolence or a secret flaw in their personalities, to suffering that changes their fortune.The tragic hero must begin in a high attitude and end in death or some sort of tumultuous role. The whole play inevitably showed character change, of not only Macbeth but others around him influence by the acts he committed. His ambition, emasculation, the witchs prophecies and excessive ambition lead to his demise. The character Macbeth is an archetypal paragon in Shakespearean literature he truly embodies the title of the tragic hero. extracts expurgation Macbeth says of his wife undaunted mettle should compose/ Nothing but males. (I, vii, 73-74).He notices his wifes unnatural, unfeminine strength and ambition, and he feels that only men should have such power. Lady Macbeth says unsex me here,/ And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full/ Of direst cruelty (I, v, 41-44). She is calling for the strength to mold a focus the guilt of the crime, and she realizes she needs to contain all femininity in fix to pull through. She also says make thick my blood,/ snap off up the access and passage to remorse. (I, v, 43-44). and Come to my womans breasts,/ And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers. (I, vii, 47-48). She needs to suppress her femininity to chalk up the strength to conquer her conscience. Curiosity act 1 scene 2 All hail, Macbeth hail to thee, thane of Glamis 50 present moment Witch All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor Third Witch. watch Macduff, Beware the Thane of Fife and The power of man, for none of woman born(p)/Shall harm Macbeth and thence lastly Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until/ Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinaine Hill/ Shall come against him. analyse morehttp//wiki. answers. com/Q/What_was_the_three_witches_prophecy_to_Macbethixzz1eg86iOxiAMIBTION All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter Quote 1BANQUO My noble partner You greet with present grace and great prognostic Of noble having an d of royal hope, That he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not. If you can direct into the seeds of time, And say which grain will grow and which will not, Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear Your favors nor your hate. (1. 3. 2)After hearing the witches predict that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, Banquo notes that his friend is rapt withal, suggesting that Macbeth is consumed or entranced by the prophecy. Banquo is eager to hear what the witches have in store for him and we can see that Banquo is ambitious hes pleased as punch when he learns his heirs will be kings (even though he will never wear the crown). Yet, Banquonevertakes drastic measures to gain power for himself or his heirs, which makes him a foil to Macbeth who, eventually, will stop at nada to secure his power.Macbeths tragic flaw is excessive ambition ambition by itself is not a bad thing. But Macbeths ambition gets the best of him, and he begins to feel bulletproof &8212 no man born o f woman can kill him and he will come to fail when Birnam Wood doth come to high Dunsinane Hill. How can a man non be born of woman? And how can a wood move? But Macbeths undoing comes when he allows Fleance to escape. He returns with the army disguised as trees that move toward Dunsinane and Macduff was untimly ripped from his mothers womb. Fleances escape is the beginning of his undoing. Quote 2MACBETHMy thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smotherd in surmise, and nothing is But what is not. (1. 3. 9) After the weird sisters predict that Macbeth will be king, his thoughts turn to murder, which the sisters have saidnothingabout. Could it be that the witches prophesy awakens within Macbeth a bloody ambition that was there all along? Quote 3MACBETH Aside The Prince of Cumberland That is a step On which I must fall down, or else oerleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires Let not light see my vitriolic and dee p desires.The eye wink at the hand yet let that be Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. (1. 4. 4) By the time Malcolm is proclaimed Prince of Cumberland and heir to the throne of Scotland, Macbeth is instinctive to push all morality aside. He knows that killing Duncan in order to become king is wrong, which is why he says its necessary to hide his black and deep desires. Here, ambition is portrayed as something dark and ugly. 33Is this a dagger which I see before me, 34The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. 35I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. 36Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible 7To feeling as to sight? or art thou but 38A dagger of the mind, a false creation, 39 performance from the heat-oppressed brain? > ACT 2, SCENE 1, LINE 33-39 Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear 58Thy very stones prate of my whereabout, 59And take the present horror from the time, 60Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives 61 spoken communication to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives. (Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come let me clutch thee a dagger of the mind, a false creation Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear) 33-34, 38, 57)