Macbeth by William Shakespeare

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The Tragedy of MacBeth By William Shakespeare
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Macbeth

• Tragic Hero
• Corrupted by Whom?

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Tragic HeroIf chance will have me king, then
chance will crown me without my
stir.-Macbeth(Act II )

• Is Macbeth a tragic hero by his own demise or is
  he the puppet-like victim of the Cruel witches?
• Is he ever offered a moment of grace to change?
• Does he deserve his demise?
• Does he leave with any redeeming qualities?

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Master of his fate or puppet?

• Are you a man? Lady Macbeth I
  dare do all that may become a man who dares do
  more is none.- Macbeth
• (Act II)

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Side One Macbeths His Own Man

• He is a valiant and loyal warrior.
• He is young and ambitious.
• He has set himself in a position for a very
  bright future
• I have begun to plant thee and make thee full of
  growing. Duncan
• (Act I)

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Side TwoMacbeths a Puppet

• The witches allude to power over Macbeth from Act
  I, Scene I.
• The witches use Banquo to spur Macbeths
  ambition.
• Lady Macbeth taunts Macbeth and insults his
  manhood.
• The witches use ambiguous prophecies to create a
  false sense of security.
• And you all know security is mortals chiefest
  enemy. Hecate (Act IV)

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A Major Factor Overvaulting Ambition

• Macbeth finds Malcolm a threat to his future and
  feels he must act
• that is a step on which I must fall down or
  else oerleap.
• Macbeth (Act II)
• Macbeth has strong misgivings about killing
  Duncan, but continues anyway
• We will proceed no further in this business.
• Macbeth (Act II)
• Macbeth realizes that he must finish what he
  started
• We have scotched the snake, not killed it.
• - Macbeth (Act IV)

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Amazing grace He ignored the sound/sight.

• Macbeth has an opportunity to prevent his tragic
  downfall, but he follows the fatal vision
  anyway.
• Before killing Duncan, he is taunted by his
  better judgement, but continues Hes here in
  double trust Macbeth (Act II)
• He instantly regrets his deed, but kills again
  Wake Duncan.... I would I couldst Macbeth
  (Act II)

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A Well-deserved Demise

• All tragic heroes must fall.
• Macbeth went from necessary murders (Duncan) to
  recreational murders (Lady MacDuff Family).
• His ambition blinded him (But Ill make
  assurance double sure Macbeth Act IV)

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At least well die with armor on our backs.
Macbeth (Act V)

• Ironically, when Macbeth has us convinced he
  deserves his fate and has let ambition corrupt
  him, he becomes the old valiant warrior he once
  was, making us wonder if he might have been a
  puppet after all.