tragic hero Flashcards
1
Q
p1 - start brave but has fatal flaw
point - At the start of the play Macbeth is shown to be a brave and noble character however it is evident to us that he has a fatal flaw.
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A
- “Brave Macbeth! Well he deserves that name.”
(The word choice of “brave” has connotations of honour, this highlights his success in battle as a warrior and the respect his community and those around him have for him. Here we have evidence of his masculinity Lady Macbeth later insults, with praise of his bravery. The word choice of “deserves” demonstrates the respect people have for him. ) - , “O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman!”
(This use of word choice highlights Macbeth is well respected and a well liked friend, relative and warrior. He has a good reputation. The word choice of “valiant” again emphasises he is brave.) - “I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition.” (This use of word choice highlights that “vaulting ambition” is Macbeth’s only motivation behind all the atrocious acts he commits throughout the play. This emphasises that this ambition and desire for power is his fatal flaw and what leads to his downfall.)
2
Q
p2 - ambition causes him to murder people
point - Macbeth’s spells his own dowfall because his ambition causes him to murder numerous people, including the King.
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- Macbeth’s ambition allowed him to be manipulated by his wife into murdering the king, however immedietly afterwards he regrets his actions. “Wake Duncan with thy knocking: I would thou couldst.” ( The word choice of “I would thou couldst” highlights the regret Macbeth feels and here we see evidence of his guilty conscience, he recognizes what he did was wrong. This is the last time we see nobility in Macbeth until the final scenes of the play, as his ambition will corrupt his remaining nobility from this point on. )
- Macbeth’s ambition is not satisfied with the murder of Duncan and Macbeth soon becomes obsessed with Banquo’s descendants who he later tries to kill, “Upon my head they’ve placed a fruitless crown And placed a barren sceptre in my gripe.”
(The word choice of “fruitless crown” and “barren sceptre” highlights Macbeth feels regret that he has no descendants to inherit the throne, and the murders he has committed to become king will not be worth it as he has no one to pass on the crown to. He blames the witches for placing this “fruitless crown” on his head, and suggests they are the ones to blame for him beginning this quest for power. As Macbeth went on to send murderers after Banquo and his family we see his ambition has begun to overtake any nobility and honour he once previously valued)
3.As the play goes on, and the witches continue to feed Macbeth’s ambition, he believes himself to be invincible and that he should act on first instinct; “From this moment the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand.” ( This use of word choice highlights Macbeth intends his actions to reflect his immediate gut instinct, this suggests he intends to continue using cruelty and murder if it means it will allow him to stay on the throne. )
3
Q
p3 - he learns form his experiences - sympathy
point - Macbeth elicits sympathy in the audience as he learns from his experience prior to his death.
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A
- Macbeth comes to the realisation he was wrong to trust the witches describing them as; “these juggling fiends” (The use of word choice of “fiends” highlights he realises the wickedness of the witches and how untrustworthy they were, and that all their prophecies led him down the wrong path, with them largely spurring his ambition. He blames the witches and realises they tricked him, and he sees the effect these supernatural beings had on his actions.)
- Macbeth then hears a woman’s screams and realises how much he has changed, “I had almost forgot the taste of fears.” (This use of metaphor here highlights Macbeth recognises it has been a long time since he has felt scared. He has begun to realise his mistake in believing himself invincible, this suggests he understands his downfall is near, and that he was wrong to not feel fear.)
- . When discovering his wife dead Macbeth says, “I have lived long enough”. (This use of word choice demonstrates a change in Macbeth, before he was so desperate to gain power for himself and acquire the throne, and now towards the end of the play he has begun to realise the pointlessness of life and how short it is. He sees he was wrong to spend so much time and effort hunting after power now that something actually important in his life is gone, he saw he had lost sight of what truly mattered. )
4
Q
p4 - macbeth gives in to fatal flaw - natural order
p - At the end of the play Macbeth is punished for succumbing to his fatal flaw and natural order is restored.
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- “This butcher and his fiend-like queen”.
( This use of word choice of “butcher” highlights the brutality and cruelty of Macbeth’s violence he committed to acquire power, emphasises his fatal flaw. The word choice of “fiend” emphasises the wickedness of Lady Macbeth, and together the audeince clearly sees they were the ones who disrupted the natural order because of their own selfish desires, they meet an ending they arguably deserve. ) - Malcolm, the rightful king, is put back on the throne, “Hail, king, for so thou art”.
(The word choice of “hail” highlights they are celebrating this new deserving ruler and that things are as they are supposed to be, and no foul play was committed for this king to get the throne.) - Malcolm states his plans to restore Scotland’s nobility, “…home out exil’d friends abroad That fled the snares of watchful tyranny”.
( The word choice of “tyranny” highlights the damage Macbeth’s corrupt and unethical rule caused Scotland, and that how now that he is gone they can restore honour and nobility.)
