Example research essay topic: Lady Macbeth Tragic Hero - 935 words

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Since the name of this play is Macbeth, most people wouldnt think of anyone but Macbeth being a tragic hero in this story. However, if the character of Lady Macbeth is examined we see that she is a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a protagonist, usually of high estate and neither entirely good nor bad. He is perfect except for a Hamartia (flaw), which is the significant factor leading to his suffering, that eventually brings him down in the end. More often than not, the tragic flaw is hubris (arrogance that blind him to reality). He arouses our pity because, not being an evil person, his misfortune is a greater tragedy than he deserves and is unequal to the "flaw. " We also fear for ourselves, as we recognize the possibilities of similar errors or defects in ourselves.

Lady Macbeth is a tragic heroine because she has many of the points in the definition of a tragic hero. One of the reasons she is a tragic hero is that forces the reader to feel pathos (pity) for Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth feels a lot of remorse for what she did. She shows remorse by needing to wash her hands so often. She also shows remorse when she says: Noughts all spent. Where our desire is got without content: My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white.

This shows remorse because she is saying that it wasnt worth it to kill Duncan because they have gained nothing from it. She shows that she is ashamed of what they have done in the second quote. This forces pity because her remorse shows that she wasnt such a bad person. This makes the reader feel that great human potential was wasted because Lady Macbeth could have been a good queen if she hadn't killed Duncan. And she would have been queen without killing Duncan because it was Macbeth's fate to be king so that would make her queen.

However, even if she wasnt queen she could have been a good person too. She was a loving wife, her wanting to help Macbeth so much throughout the play shows this, she is also a very hospitable person and a good hostess. Nevertheless she goes insane towards the end of the play and this ruins her potential. Another reason that she is a tragic hero is that she dies toward the end of the play.

Lady Macbeth realizes what she did wrong and her remorse leads her to suicide. Lady Macbeth: the thane of fife had a wife, where is she now? What, will these hands neer be clean? No more other, my lord, No more other: you mar all this with starting. This quote shows remorse because she is talking to Macbeth and telling him that she doesnt want to have to feel the guilt anymore. The reason her remorse is the cause of her suicide is that she goes crazy because she couldnt handle the pressure anymore of such a huge secret bottled up inside of her.

Doctor: you see, her eyes are open Gentlewoman: Ay, but their sense is shut. Doctor: what is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands " This also shows that she has gone crazy because she is sleep walking and she is washing her hands even in her sleep. She had to keep her remorse all bottled up because she was afraid of the consequences. Had she told someone about the murder, both she and Macbeth would have been killed. But as in most tragedies the hero isn't the only one who dies, many innocent people die as well as well as the other guilty people.

Macbeth, who helped kill Duncan, dies. However, because of Macbeth's mistake that was forced on him by Lady Macbeth, he also kills other innocent people such as Macduffs wife and son, and some servants and bridegrooms. The final reason that Lady Macbeth is a tragic hero is that she suffers from moral disorder, which causes her to make a mistake. Lady Macbeth wants to be queen so badly that she is willing to kill Duncan. However, she is also somewhat of a hypocrite. It is too full o the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way: Thou wouldst be great: Art not without ambition, but without The Illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly, thou would holily; Wouldst thou not play false, and yet thou wouldst wrongly win: She says that Macbeth is weak and too gentle to kill Duncan yet she need to summon the spirits of darkness and even after drink alcohol to be able to have the courage to kill Duncan yet Macbeth does it in the end anyway.

Soon after they kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth realizes that she shouldnt have forced Macbeth to kill Duncan because it just caused them more hurt. Even though Lady Macbeth does recognize her mistake, it is too late. One reason its too late is because Duncan is dead and you can't bring him back. Moreover, by the time they do realize it they have both gone insane to some extent and there is no way to help them. Even a doctor can't help them. This disease is beyond my practice.

Lady Macbeth shows many of the qualities of a tragic hero. She has a tragic flaw, Moral disorder activates the plot, and she arouses our pity. She also realizes her mistake too late to forestall a tragic end, she dies at the end, and we feel that great human potential is wasted.

Research essay sample on Lady Macbeth Tragic Hero