Write a short note on Macbeth

A tragic hero must be good but he is not perfect. A tragic hero should have some tragic flaw in his character as a result of which he moves from happiness to misery and ultimately dies. In poetic Aristotle says that this is the sort of man who is not conspicuous for virtue and justice, and whose fall into misery is not due to vice and depravity , but rather to some error, a man who enjoys prosperity and a high reputation, like Oedipus and Thystes and other famous members of families like theirs.

Macbeth is a Shakespearean tragedy. It involves the inevitable fate of someone, Macbeth, who challenges the natural order of things.Macbeth defeats the enemies of King Duncan when all seems lost. He is greeted by the witches after the battle and declared Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and the future king of Scotland.

Macbeth reacts in a way which surprises his companion Banquo. This is because it reflects his own secret ambitions, namely to become king.Duncan stays overnight at Macbeth's castle. Encouraged by his wife Lady Macbeth who is also ambitious for power. Macbeth murders Duncan and lays the blame on Duncan's guards who he kills.\

So begins an inevitable downward spiral for both into increasing violence, isolation, madness and death.Macbeth murders anyone who he sees as a potential rival including Macduff's wife and children. He also has Banquo murdered but his son Fleance escapes. This confirms the prophecy of the witches that Banquo's line would produce future kings.

Macbeth is eventually isolated as all desert him. His wife, now insane, dies. Macbeth confronts the opposing army safe in the knowledge that, as the witches predicted, no man born of woman can kill him. When he fights Macduff, the latter tells Macbeth that he was born by what we would know call Caeserean.

King Duncan-Macbeth-Lady Macbeth- Banguo- Malcolm- Donalbain- Tree witches

Macbeth knows his fate is sealed and is slain by Macduff. Duncan's son Malcolm becomes king and the normal balance of society is restored. The suffering the tragic hero arouses pity and fear. But the fall of Macbeth arouses less sympathy then that of other tragic heroes such as Hamlet, King Lear and Othello, because of his unscrupulous ambition. Macbeth is different from other tragic heroes. He forfeits our sympathy after the middle of the play. He begins as a hero but ends as a villain. From a brave solider and noble person, Macbeth reaches a state when he is a soulless person and finally slaughtered like a beast. But when he meets his doom, we feel that poetic justice has been done.