Is Macbeth A Hero
The play Macbeth by William Shakespeare tells the tragic tale of a nobleman and his wife’s descent into darkness as they conspire to take the throne of Scotland. The character of Macbeth possesses qualities that make him admirable, but these qualities are also the cause of his downfall. Throughout the play, Macbeth exhibits bravery, morality, and ambition—traits which appear heroic, but ultimately lead to his end.
To begin with, Macbeth is a very brave man, but as the play progresses his bravery quickly develops into recklessness. At the start of the play, an injured captain recounts to King Duncan of Scotland, Macbeth’s beheading of the traitorous Macdonwald:
For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name— Disdaining fortune, with his brandished …show more content…
However, this act of bravery soon comes to naught, as Macbeth becomes consumed with maintaining his power. After Macbeth meets with the witches, of whom he demands answers to his greatest fears, he decides, “The flighty purpose never is o'ertook / Unless the deed go with it. From this moment / The very firstlings of my heart shall be / The firstlings of my hand.” (4.1.144-147). Macbeth then proceeds to murder Macduff’s family in order to rid any threat to his throne, which demonstrates the reckless behaviour he has developed. The bravery for which Macbeth was once praised, now only fuels his ability to carry out such heinous acts. This rashness sends him into a downward spiral, until he is forced to face the consequences for his actions. As Malcolm leads an army against Macbeth, Macbeth finally encounters Macduff and exclaims, “Before my body, / I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff, / and damn’d be him that first cries, ‘Hold, enough!’” (5.8.32-34). Rather than retreat to his castle, Macbeth stands his ground. This shows that Macbeth still retains some of the soldierly qualities present at the beginning of the play, but it is this last act of bravery that causes his death—once and for all, ripping away all power he possessed. Though Macbeth’s bravery is what once made him a hero, it also enabled him to commit horrific crimes and led to his
To begin with, Macbeth is a very brave man, but as the play progresses his bravery quickly develops into recklessness. At the start of the play, an injured captain recounts to King Duncan of Scotland, Macbeth’s beheading of the traitorous Macdonwald:
For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name— Disdaining fortune, with his brandished …show more content…
However, this act of bravery soon comes to naught, as Macbeth becomes consumed with maintaining his power. After Macbeth meets with the witches, of whom he demands answers to his greatest fears, he decides, “The flighty purpose never is o'ertook / Unless the deed go with it. From this moment / The very firstlings of my heart shall be / The firstlings of my hand.” (4.1.144-147). Macbeth then proceeds to murder Macduff’s family in order to rid any threat to his throne, which demonstrates the reckless behaviour he has developed. The bravery for which Macbeth was once praised, now only fuels his ability to carry out such heinous acts. This rashness sends him into a downward spiral, until he is forced to face the consequences for his actions. As Malcolm leads an army against Macbeth, Macbeth finally encounters Macduff and exclaims, “Before my body, / I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff, / and damn’d be him that first cries, ‘Hold, enough!’” (5.8.32-34). Rather than retreat to his castle, Macbeth stands his ground. This shows that Macbeth still retains some of the soldierly qualities present at the beginning of the play, but it is this last act of bravery that causes his death—once and for all, ripping away all power he possessed. Though Macbeth’s bravery is what once made him a hero, it also enabled him to commit horrific crimes and led to his