Macbeth as a Tragic Hero

A tragic hero is defined as a person who holds a seat of authority or power, but is doomed to eventually fall. The hero's tragic flaw, usually hubris or hamartia (excessive pride and rashness respectively), results in a spiraling downfall. Macbeth exemplifies these characteristics of a tragic hero. He is of noble birth and succumbs to hubris and his ambitious nature. By being victimized by not only the witches, but also his wife and the reader's sympathy towards him, Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as a tragic hero.
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