Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw
Ambition is Macbeth’s tragic flaw because it leads to his breakdown and ultimate death. In the play, Macbeth is treated as a tragic hero as he is respected and well-liked by the people and the general. However, this tragic flaw brings him to demise. His ambition leads him to the edge, and his strengths turn into weaknesses causing his terrible death.
At the beginning of the drama, Macbeth is characterized as an ambitious person. However, as the play continues, this flaw changes as it leads to his first murder. Fear arises in him after murdering his king Duncan. Later in the play, Macbeth dies after being defeated. The character of Macbeth has a variety of tragic flows. Nevertheless, it can be cut down into three categories, which include ambition, prominent, trust, and fear.
Macbeth demonstrates ambition as a deep longing for some distinction or achievement, as wealth, honor, power, fame, and enthusiasm to strive for its accomplishment. Throughout the play, Macbeth seems to be interested in more power. As the play begins, Macbeth is famous, wealthy, and most notably, he has king Duncan’s trust. He looks contented and comfortable in this position, but this changes after hearing the witches’ “prophetic greetings” (Shakespeare 9). As a result, Macbeth becomes ambitious, particularly after the third witch greets him, “All hail, Macbeth that shalt be King hereafter!” (Shakespeare 8). He develops an ambition that is not seen before. Macbeth’s thoughts start filling with betrayal ideas as he desires to become the king.
Although Macbeth is uncertain whether to wait until the title “king” falls in his hands or to take action to get it, his ambition end up pushing him to act. The king talks about Macbeth as “a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust” (Shakespeare 11). This is ironic since Macbeth is about to receive an additional title, “Thane of Cawdor,” as mentioned by the second witch (Shakespeare 8). When the witches prophesied this occurrence, Macbeth developed a strong desire for power, which makes him do something he had formerly ignored.
The predictions of the witches and his wife’s encouragement are the drives to Macbeth’s ambition and his killings. Macbeth becomes a violent character, and it’s now hard for him to stop. In the process of his violence, Macbeth realizes that there are always potential threats like Fleance, Banquo, and Macduff before becoming the king. Thus, he tries to eliminate them through violent means.
In act 1 scene IV, Macbeth expresses his fears “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall, or else overleap, for in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires” (Shakespeare 12). He experiences an unpleasant emotion because he believes he is about to do something dangerous. Macbeth talks to himself, “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?” (Shakespeare 10). He is about to commit murder, and this brings fear of being caught and punished, and fear of seeing blood. Macbeth also has reasons to fear Banquo because he heard the prophecies of witches. Banquo could start suspecting Macbeth of murder, and this brought fears. Additionally, in act 3 scene I, Macbeth expresses his fears for Banquo because it has “royalty of nature” (Shakespeare 31).
Macbeth has the ambition to become powerful but has a fear of staying on the throne. His total trust to his wife and the witches also misleads him.
Work cited
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Vol. 3. Lippincott, 1915.