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Is Macbeth a true tragedy? Macbeth is the perfectly written classic example of Shakespeare's possessive ability to follow the tragic pattern. This betraying tale is made up of all the necessary characters, events, atmospheres, and plots needed to destroy the lives of several, and then reestablish the peaceful environment that once was. It includes many different motifs and ironic occurrences that allow us, the reader, to be aware that something, due to someone or an event, troubling would soon occur. The way in which all the events fall seems to give insurance to the reader that Macbeth will be a story of tragic happenings. Macbeth is the written justification that a written play can touch the inner feelings of its reader just as though it was the sad story of a devastating life experience that no person in this world would ever dream of having to face for a minute. (Calderwood) Whether the blame for the outcome of Macbeth's life-ending downfall is blamed on the influences of witchcraft, his conniving, yet weak wife, or on his power hungry self, he rose and fell tragically.
Macbeth is the plays tragic hero because he began as a man with an honorable and highly respected career. Of course, the idea of possessing a higher power intrigued him, but never to the point of him committing deadly crimes. (Wofford) Macbeth was told by the witches a few key things that would change his life. After the prophecies told to him by the witches came true, the imagination of Macbeth began to drift. Once the news that Malcolm would become king after his fathers death, Macbeth knew if was time for him to control his own destiny.
With the help of his wife, who is the mastermind behind the plot to kill off King Duncan, Macbeth began a horrible chain of endless, heartless murders. He later killed his best friend, the wife and children of Macduff, and made serial attempts to kill others, including Macduff, and Banquets son. Macbeth believed he was invincible due to the second set of prophecies given to him by the witches. He felt that no one alive could take away the power he so selfishly earned.
Fortunately, he was wrong and the crown he killed so many was taken from his head by death. Macbeth was a victim of his own will power and the desperate need to rule. (Calderwood) With the murder of his one true love, precise children, dear friend, honorable king, and an threat to made to his own life, Macduff is furious and has a right to be. Macduff was once a close friend of Macbeth but suspected him after the death of Duncan as being the mysterious murderer. After Duncan's two sons fled the country, which includes the future king of the country Malcolm, Macbeth was names king.
Macduff did not congratulate him or attend the celebration thrown in Macbeth's honor. Macduff did not acknowledge the fact that Macbeth was the new ruler, to Macduff, their ruler was dead and heir to the throne was missing. As a result of Macduff's refusal to accept him, Macbeth knew that Macduff was aware of something and had a hunch. Macbeth decided to put the hunch to rest and end all chances of Macduff destroying him, and failed. Even though Macbeth sent men out to kill Macduff, they did not succeed. Macduff, thinking very cleverly, had already fled to England where he would meet up with Malcolm to discuss the current situation of their home.
While there Macduff turned him back on him once life long friend Macbeth, and set his heart on revenge and war. Even though Macbeth thought he had thoroughly figured out a plan to get rid of Macduff, he never considered what would happen to him if his plan had failed. When Macbeth had finally realized that his dear friend Macduff had an idea of his involvement with the murders it was already to late. While Macbeth sat around with a guilty conscious, a failing marriage, and a deteriorating wife, his world began to crumble and he had no idea. He began to become extremely withdrawn from his wife, whos mental state slowly began to eat her up. All hidden from Macbeth's knowledge Macduff was planning the sweet revenge that would soon destroy him and his wifes dreams.
Macduff had the idea, the army, and the reason to avenge Macbeth. He and his forces would destroy Macbeth sooner then he had ever imagined. (Wofford) Macbeth finally gets another set of prophecies from the very enlightening witches. They warn him to beware of the man not born of a woman, they tell him how the forest will come to his castle, and they tell him to beware of Macduff. Macbeth, not knowing the significance of any of these prophecies takes him lightly and believes that he is now invincible and no one would ever stop him. Not only is Macduff out to revenge the lost of his family, but Malcolm is out to seek revenge for the murder of his father, and the queen of all the witches is out to destroy Macbeth for using the witches to tell him the fortune of his life. (Macbeth Study Guide) Finally, one of Macbeth's servants worn him that the forest is coming near and Macbeth finally realize that one of the witches prophecies was right and that his time to reign would soon arrive.
Macbeth knows that he is surrounded by his enemies but decides to stay strong and fight them off. But before the battle between Macbeth and Macduff can began Lady Macbeth ends her life. The guilt had washed over her soul and taken her mentally to another state. (Wofford) After Lady Macbeth's death, Macbeth still continues on with his idea to fight still thinking that he would die of no man born of a woman, but not knowing really what it meant. Once Macduff confronts him and they share a few words, he is told that Macduff is not born of a woman and is now truly frightened.
He continues on with the battle but tragically loses and get his head chopped off. The death of Macbeth leaves the crown to Malcolm, its rightful owner. Though things will never be the same, the people that lived under Macbeth's rule have no more to fear. (Macbeth Study Guide) In conclusion, Macbeth does follow the classic pattern because it starts with an innocent victim that is overcome with a deadly desire. In the case of Macbeth, Macbeth is a reasonable man, with a reasonable life that just wants to be on top.
His desire over powers his ability to determine what is right and wrong and due to this he is sucked into the evil world of murder and deception and can not escape. Macbeth's tragic ending is tragic for him but does everyone surrounding him a favor because in order for him to continue living the way he was he would have had to kill and continue to kill until he felt his secret was safe. This is a tragic play that follows a tragic pattern because a man gets caught up in a situation that he never really set up from himself and can not seem to escape it, no matter how hard he tries. Bibliography: Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. The Riverside Shakespeare.
Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. , 1974. 1307 - 1342.
Wofford, S. ed. Shakespeare's Late Tragedies: A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey: Prentice Hall 1995 Calderwood, J L.
If It Were Done: Macbeth and Tragic Action. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1986 Macbeth Study Guide. Lyric Theatre Webpage, 2004 < web >
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