In what way has Macbeth been presented as a tragic character? What
methods has Shakespeare used to present Macbeth in this way?
The genre of tragedy was exceedingly popular throughout the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Throughout the aptly named play The Tragedy of Macbeth, Shakespeare popularly brought to life the tragic downfall of the character, Macbeth. Macbeth is shown to be a tragic character through his flaws, realization of those flaws, and various methods used to represent them. In order to successfully understand what gives Macbeth the qualities of a tragic hero, it is required to look at things such as how he is influenced externally, how his personality changed based on how he was influenced, and how this impacted, and forged the tragic downfall of the hero aforementioned.
Within Act 1 and 2, Macbeth is affected by his wife’s motivations which decay his morality, loss of his heroic characteristics, and play an introductory role into the tragic downfall of the hero. In his past, Macbeth is described metaphorically as “valour’s minion” (1, 2, 38) which is antithetical to what he eventually becomes. Lady Macbeth provokes Macbeth with weakness and a lack of masculinity as well, asking if Macbeth was “afeard/ To be the same in thine own act and valour/ As thou art in desire?” (1, 7, 516-518) and if he was a “coward in thine own esteem” (1, 7, 520) Using words such as “coward”(1, 7, 520) bore heavy importance due to the significance of one’s image at the time. Lady Macbeth rhetorically questions his ability to act on what he desires, and questions his masculinity, to take advantage of Macbeth’s obedient personality of a soldier, and role as a man to make him rethink his decision on murdering Duncan. This heavy interrogation by Lady Macbeth could also be viewed as an embodiment of foreshadowing, as Macbeth would later show concepts such as cowardice, unloyalty, and ambition which lead to his undoing. During this time, the concepts of patriarchy, and masculinity were important. So having Macbeth, who is a hero of his country, being labeled as a coward, and shown as weak when he succumbed easily to Lady Macbeth’s coercion would be foreign, and shocking to an audience.
On the topic of shocking, Act 2 marks the start of Macbeth’s intense internal conflict which will haunt him until his passing. Macbeth believes that the “table’s full” (3, 4, 1330) and that he “saw him” (3, 4, 1363) referencing Banquo, whom he had previously murdered. With the murder of both his king, and his best friend Macbeth begins to tread down his dark path to his tragic defeat. Macbeth, further regretting the murder of his friend mentioning “Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that/ Which might appal the devil” (3, 4, 1345-1346) and metaphorically mentions that “the grown serpent lies; the worm that’s fled.” (3, 4, 1306) This could represent that Macbeth is at a turning point, where he is somewhat in control of his actions, yet ambition, and influence still guide them. The external influences that resulted due to the murder of Duncan, Banquo, and actions from his wife, and the witches. Using words like the “devil” (3, 4, 1346) Shakespeare can get an easier reaction from people, and make the topic seem more drastic, as religion was a very important, and intensive topic during the time of writing and performing the play. This time during the play generally can be represented as foreshadowing to the steep decline of Macbeth’s character arc.
Close to the end of the precedent mentioned downfall, Act 5 marks the beginning of the downfall of Macbeth. The former hero succumbs to his influences and ambition, and ends up falling due to it. Macbeth becomes so obsessed with the prophecy delivered by the witches at the start of the play, saying that “Till Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane” (5, 3, 2247) and challenged by a man “not born of woman” (5, 3, 2249) that he believes himself immortal, and ignorant of those around him. One of Macbeth’s major influences, his wife additionally plays another role in his downfall. After Lady Macbeth’s suicide, Macbeth reflects on life, metaphorically saying in his soliloquy that “Life’s but a walking shadow” (5, 5, 2351) which could have been interpreted as the nail in the coffin for his downfall; it had compounded his stubbornness, and arrogance of his fate later on. As the Act continues and the size of the scenes shrink down, we progress to the death of Macbeth. He falls to Macduff, a man not born of woman, and after Birnam wood had moved to Dunsinane, where he once again is labeled as a “coward” (5, 8, 2501) and “tyrant” (5, 8, 2505) by Macduff. This relates back once more into the concepts of personal image at the time, and how people were so easily able to be influenced by it.
All in all, Macbeth was shown to be a tragic hero, and in the end causing his own downfall. While being a prestigious soldier in his past, he proved he was not able to cope with the mental consequences of treason, and murder. Macbeth was influenced early on, and while he did suppress the mental effects, he couldn’t for long as he gradually became more, and more internally affected which in the end, brought out changes to his personality which led to his downfall.
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