At the end of the play, is Macbeth’s death a good or bad thing, i.e., are we satisfied to see Macbeth defeated or upset to see a potentially great man fall? Finally, is Macbeth a tragic hero?
This is an argument. Use your skills! This entry must be at least 300 words, but more if that is what it takes to get the job done!
Throughout the play, we witness the downfall of Macbeth and eventually his death. His death can be viewed in many ways, but I do not that that his death was completely good. There are many positive aspects to the end of his life, such as the end to other people being killed in his quest for greatness. On the other hand, Macbeth had the potential to be a great ruler. In the beginning, he was named Thane of Cawdor, but wanted more. If he would not have been influenced by Lady Macbeth to kill in order to satisfy his ambitions, he may have worked his way up to holding more power. He was even offered assistance by the king to become a more prosperous person. It can be argued that if he would have stayed with the king and been mentored, the play would have ended much differently. Lady Macbeth plays a huge role in the death of her husband, but her morals are not questioned, only Macbeth's are because he was the one who order the kills. The daemons that she wished upon herself infected Macbeth and lead to spiritual unrest which can cause destruction for anyone, but specifically with Macbeth because he was already in a manipulable state. I think that he had potential to be a great man, but because of the choices that he made his death was justified, but not satisfactory because of unfulfilled potential. A tragic hero can be defined as someone who the audience can empathize with and whose flaws lead to there death. I think that most people can relate to being persuaded into doing something they know is wrong. This is shown by Lady Macbeth manipulation of her husband, which can also be seen as the devil because of the evil she called upon herself. Also, his pride leads to great ambitions which cause his downfall and ultimately his death. At first, he refuses to kill anyone, which also shows his true character. I think that Macbeth is a tragic hero, because the audience can relate to him and his flaws lead to his death.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting to see which of the characters in the book influenced our opinions on Macbeth's death. You were not satisfied with macbeth's death because of Lady Macbeth's role in Macbeth's demise, but I was completely satisfied with his death because of the way his character took a toll on other people in the book. I do agree with the fact that he is a tragic hero, though.
DeleteI disagree that his death was bad. I think that it was all good. He was a great man at one point but he fell too far from that point and there was no returning from what he did.
DeleteI do not agree that Macbeth's death was a bad thing. He was a horrible man in the end and in my opinion needed death to bring peace. Although, it is quite interesting to see the views that you possess on this matter.
DeleteThrough Shakespeare's tale of Macbeth, we follow the character Macbeth, a man who begins innocent, but leads himself into an irreversible demise. During the story, we watch Macbeth turn to crime and murder in order to gain power over the people of Scotland. Macbeth begins as a great man, but over time, power causes him to murder those above him, and this murder eventually leads him to his own death. Probably for the best of society, Macbeth dies at the end of the story and leaves his stolen kingdom to rightful leaders to take over. Macbeth' death was necessary, and the reader is left with a satisfaction in knowing that a tyrant ruler had been stopped.
ReplyDeleteMacbeth's death is a good thing for those in his kingdom. As a reader, I felt satisfied at the end knowing that Macbeth was no longer at the throne. At the beginning of the story, Macbeth would have been a great ruler. However, through the story he loses his dignity and becomes rather selfish and self-promoting. By the time he actually becomes ruler, he is a controlling truant who is only making the kingdom worse. None of the people in his kingdom are happy and at the same time, he isn't happy either. When Macbeth is made king, it is said by Ross that "sighs and groans and shrieks that rend the air are made, not marked; where violent sorrow seems A modern ecstasy." None of the people in the kingdom were happy, and it is satisfying as a reader to know that once Macbeth is dead, all of those people have the chance to once again be happy under a just and honest ruler.
The fall of Macbeth was for the betterment of "his" kingdom. The story continues to get more and more unhappy from its beginning to its end, and part of that is because of the way Macbeth reigns as a ruler and the way he treats his people. He progressed from the beginning of the story, where he was an honest, respectful man, to the end of the story, where he was a murderous, cheating, and unlawful man. By the end of the story, Macbeth didn't even respect his own life, and neither did anyone else. It came as a relief to everyone- the reader, the kingdom, and even himself- when he was finally killed by Macduff. Macbeth's death was a good thing for everyone. Because of it, the kingdom could once again be rightly ruled, the murder streak and lying could be discontinued, the dueling countries could be brought together again, and Macbeth would no longer be alive to suffer from his loneliness due to his wife's death or from the burden of all the lies he told and people he killed.
A tragic hero is one who is "a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat" (dictionary.com). By this standard, Macbeth was a tragic hero. Despite the fact that his death was great for everyone, including the reader, Macbeth was a man of dignity whose downfall came through his actions shown in the play. Macbeth, without the temptation of the witches and the influence of his wife, may have continued his life as an honest and dignified man, gaining power through good actions rather than dirty crimes. From the moment he first encounters the witches and any tiny sliver of authority, he is destined for a life of suffering and moral destruction. He may not be looked upon as a hero by anyone, but he can be looked upon as a tragic hero.
Macbeth's death is one that the reader can see from the beginning of the play. By the time the reader gets to the end of the play, it is certain that Macbeth will and should die, and it is a relief to know that, even in this fictitious story, Macbeth's tyranny will no longer be controlling the people of Scotland. He was once a man of great respect, but throughout the entire story he shows himself to be nothing other than a tragic hero, a man who has lost himself in the quest to live a better life.
I think it is interesting that we had similar ideas, but our interpretation was very different. I thought that his character had changed throughout the play, but was not satisfied with his death because of how he was at the beginning, whereas you said that you were satisfied because of his evolution.
DeleteThe fall of Macbeth was definitely a good thing and was also for the betterment of his kingdom. If he was left alive he would have killed many more people. I agree that he was a tragic hero.
DeleteI think that it was a good thing for Macbeth to die and I think that he had it coming to him. I do agree that he was a great ruler and that he was a very successful warrior. Prior to his downfall he was very loyal to his king and put his life on the line for the success of his people. He had been a very good man in his life and was truly a hero. I think that towards the end of the book that Macbeth went away and no longer existed. He had been changed and was no longer the good man that he once was. I think that if a person falls into temptation that they can always come back into the light and be truly sorry for what they did and once again be a good person. This however was not the case for Macbeth. He was too far gone. He had basically given his soul away to evil spirits and was involved in so much evil. I think that if you are willing to kill your king and even your best friend just for your own success, then you are no longer a good person. It was good that he was killed because he would not have severed as a moral king. He had killed many people to get to the position he was in and for him to stay there he was going to have to kill many more. He would have been an evil ruler instead of the great ruler he once was. It was good the he was killed because he would have caused the downfall of Scotland. I was relieved when he was finally dead in the book because he was killing so many good people and lying about it. He killed his friends and his fellow rulers and deserved what he got. I was also glad to see that Malcolm would be king because he was Duncan's son and the rightful heir to the throne. By definition a tragic hero is a "literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction." I do think that Macbeth is a tragic hero because he was on his way to success and was becoming a ruler by using bravery and morals. Once he started to become a ruler by killing he started his downfall and this lead to his death.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that anyone can ever be "too far gone." If we look at the Bible, we are told many times that we can always find our way back, for example in the story of the prodigal son it is depicted that we can never be too far gone. I agree that the evil that Lady Macbeth brought in would have made it much harder to go back to being moral, but it was possible. I don't believe that any humans death is ever all good, even if they did horrible things. I also do not think that he deserved to die, because of his mental state. If this happened today, he would probably be able to use the insanity plea, which does not justify what he did, but I think he deserves to live.
DeleteI think it is interesting that you mentioned how you think anyone can bring themselves back from a situation, no matter what, but then in the next sentence you mentioned that Macbeth could never come back to his good, original self because he was "too far gone". What makes Macbeth different from everybody in the sense that he is too far gone to come back? Also, you mentioned that you were satisfied with macbeth's death because he was too far gone. However, if he was held to the standards of everyone else, where he can come back to his old self no matter what, would you still have been satisfied with his death?
DeleteBeing involved with evil spirits is a very dangerous thing and I feel it is something that is hard to step away from. Macbeth was a murderous fiend and it is hard to believe that he was able to kill his best friend as you mention. This leads me to agree with you that it was good that Macbeth had died.
DeleteI completely agree with your stance on Macbeth's life. At first, he was a good man and a true hero, which gave him the opportunity to fulfill the witches' prophecy. However, when he died he was consumed with evil, and he deserved to die.
DeleteIs Macbeth better off dead? From the catholic standpoint, the answer to that question is no, not even a little bit. But let’s be real here. When there is a mask murderer who has already escaped four prisons and killed dozens of people, wouldn’t you feel better when he was dead? Wouldn’t it be better off when he is dead? If the only way to stop his violence is to be violent, and you have tried all other way of getting him to comply with the ways of normal, nonviolent life, that is really the answer. He is better off dead. I do not think that the people of the play had tried every route to try and get Macbeth to see the normal, nonviolent ways of life. He could have come around and realized, hey, I should stop killing people off for the heck of it. We never find that out, as the c section baby kills him off. While yes, he did kill people off just for what seemed to be the heck of it, he had no idea what he was doing and was doing what he thought he needed. He did not need to kill of the people, but he did. In my opinion, I would say that he had gone so mentally insane that there was no chance of having him make a full recovery. This is what happens whenever there is a greed for power. It can only ruin a person, no matter what they are thinking. Just because this is a Shakespeare tragedy it does not mean that every person that dies in it is a tragic hero. A hero is someone who will go above and beyond what is called for to help someone else. The only person that Macbeth was going above and beyond to help was himself. He was a greedy man who thought of himself and sometimes his wife. Lady Macbeth was not innocent in all of this either. She was the driving force behind him to become king so she would also have power. They were a power hungry power couple.
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DeleteI completely agree that Macbeth was crazy for power and greed. I believe this played a huge role in the murders and his terrible reign. The way in which you argued that Macbeth was not a hero was supported well and made me rethink my thoughts on Macbeth.
DeleteI think you are right about the people in this play did not really help to make Macbeth go back to the person he was, but I believe that there was no way to get him back to what he was. He was truly evil and that is why I think his death was justified.
DeleteI agree with you completely on the I deas you presented here. I had similar ideas in my blog. It is definitely for the better that Macbeth was killed. He was a horrible leader and the death of many innocent people. Not to mention that he was living a lie.
DeleteShakespeare's play, Macbeth presents the downfall of the character of Macbeth from his brave, honest self to his murderous self. Macbeth's death is considered a good thing for multiple reasons. First, Macbeth had already killed many innocent people and if he continued to live, he would have continued to kill anyone who stood in the way of his powerful position. With the death of Macbeth, his murderous streak had ended. Macbeth had not always been a murderous fiend. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth was an honorable man who saved lives, not a man took them for greed and power. He had the potential to be a great ruler when he was granted the position of Thane of Cawdor because he was a fair and noble man. Macbeth's want for power led him to kill the King and many other people. He accomplished this all with the help of his wife Lady Macbeth. Macbeth had slowly progressed throughout the story which left him as a man with much blood on his hands. It is never satisfying to have to see a man die, but Macbeth's death provided a safer and more peaceful environment. He was no longer able to kill innocent people such as young Siward and King Duncan. By the middle of the play, Shakespeare does not even wish to live any longer and this is evident by the end of the play. He wishes that he could end the pain and horror of his life. He had been too damaged by the murders he had committed to move on. I would consider this the death of a tragic hero because Macbeth could have led his people as the Thane of Cawdor. He would have a position to help the people and give them better lives. Macbeth only hurt the people he was suppose to rule and guide which proves that he was not the good ruler. He had not become the good ruler he was meant to be and his death had kept him from continuing his harmful rule in power.
ReplyDeleteIs being evil a quality given at birth, or is it acquired through human experience? This is a fairly simple question. Yet, it is a question that must be answered in order to fully comprehend if the death of Macbeth, a murderous man, was a just killing of an evil man, or if it was the end of a life that could have been great. Although Macbeth was not born an evil man, through his actions in trying to become king, he became a man that can only be described as a man filled with hate and nothing else in his heart.
ReplyDeleteMacbeth's death was surely justified. Although many may not see his death in this manor, one must see that throughout the duration of the play, Macbeth's attitude on life changed. He went from a man with good intentions and high goals, intentions that would not leave to evil actions, to a man that was so consumed with evil that he could not feel any other emotions. It is this transformation that affirms the idea that his death was righteous. Macbeth, at first, possessed the qualities of innocence, but after his first murder, his demeanor changed. In fact, his whole life changed. Instead of being a man with innocent intentions, he transformed into a creature so consumed with fear that his original innocence was destroyed. It was during the first murder, at the moment of death, that the Macbeth described as a war hero was gone. From that point on, Macbeth's entire focus shifted to becoming king and sustaining his power. He was willing to destroy anything that was to get into the way of that. His selfish actions ended up ending the lives of his best friend, Banquo, and his wife, Lady Macbeth. These deaths, along with all of the other murders, justified his life ending in the end of the play. He committed so much evil that to say he was going to change his life back to good is impossible. Macbeth did not possess the capacity to love anymore. He was numb to all emotion. Therefore, there was no way that he still acquired the potential to become a good man. That opportunity died when he heard the witches' prophecy. That is why the death of Macbeth was justified. It was the death of a truly evil man.
Throughout the whole play Macbeth becomes more and more reckless and it eventually catches up to him and it becomes his demise. I believe in the end Macbeth's death ends up being a good thing. He and his wife were going mad and if they had been left in power they would have ended up killing everyone in their kingdom. Anyone who ever posed the slightest threat to him or his reign who have been murdered. All the Thanes in his kingdom would be killed and no one would have been left to keep control over Scotland. I believe that Macbeth is one hundred percent a tragic hero, he listens to evil spirits and tried to take control of his destiny himself. This inevitably was his demise. Although he was a great man his death is best for everyone, his heroic acts in battle made him think he was more privileged than he actually was. For his acts in battle he was handsomely rewarded by being name Thane of a second place. Instead of taking this and being grateful, he decided he deserved more of what was "promised" to him by the witches and killed his own king, a friend of his. Then, to make it even worse, when he is made king he feels threatened by another good friend of his. So what does he do? He kills him too! What kind of a man does that? If some weird witches showed up on the road and told you that you would be king, would you kill two of your closest friends just to be king and to keep the throne? I think I'd think they were nuts and maybe they heard the news of me being the new Thane before I did. But no he thinks hey maybe they are real magical and this prophecy will be true. I also feel slightly bad for Macbeth though because his wife was very manipulative the whole time. So not only is he corrupt but so is she. They were doomed right from the start.
ReplyDeleteMacbeth's death was a very timely matter. It was almost just as timely as Scotland being freed from his reign in the play. Macbeth was a lost man in a sense. He had some sense of what he was doing, but was hungry for power after hearing the prophecy of the three witches. Macbeth, before this strange prophecy, was a relatively normal and honorable man to which the king owed great respect and thanks. After speaking to the witches he almost leant part of himself to darkness only to become more and more consumed as time passed and the severity of his deeds worsened. Lady Macbeth also contributed to Macbeth's downfall. She basically gave him the courage he needed to kill king Duncan and made him abandon all of his morals. Up until this point Macbeth did not want to go through with this act. After he killed the king is when he was consumed by darkness. The witches lied to him about the prophecy being great and having him live a happy life. Macbeth kept killing and sending people to kill others for him. He eventually reached a point where he had no emotion left, and to kill meant nothing to him. His kingdom was in shambles and people began to hate Scotland. Even his soldiers had no real will to defend it when rebellion against Macbeth arose. He became extremely dangerous and a ruination of a great kingdom. Also, he was resented by the people. Macbeth's death is a triumphant moment and is for the greater good of Scotland. It symbolizes the defeat of evil and the rise of good. His death is a great thing for the Scotland described in the play. It should definitely be a pleasing to see this terrible man brought down so the good men can prosper. Macbeth is no tragic hero, rather he is a prime example of taking down a tyrant for the sake of justice.
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