Macbeth is the main character in Shakespeare's Tragedy of Macbeth, in which he struggles to deal with the consequences of his actions. Is he a tragic hero? His brutal actions make him very questionable, but yes, Macbeth is a hero in his own tragedy. There are positive connotations to being a tragic hero, the first being that to be one, the character must have one of the leading roles. It is obvious that Macbeth has a prominent role in the play, since not only does it revolve around him, but also that his name is in the title. “There to meet Macbeth” (Shakespeare, Ii8) It is the topic of conversation between the three witches in the first scene, so the spectator realizes that he is the protagonist of this tragedy. The fact that the show opens without him, but still features him in conversation, clearly demonstrates his importance. Secondly, Macbeth is initially known to be a good, hard-working person since he is introduced in the first act, and is talked about in two different scenes before he is even actually present. In Scene II it is said that he is now Thane of Cawdor, an impressive title. “For brave Macbeth. (well, he deserves that name)”, (I.ii.16)He is spoken of very well, and the first adjective used to describe him informs the audience that he is a courageous and likeable character. The third positive characteristic of being a tragic hero is that the protagonist must be admirable, as heroes are considered a beacon of hope and depended on to make the right choices. “Macbeth's excessive ambition motivates him” (Main Arguments, 238). Although his ambition motivated him to kill King Duncan, he still has ambition, which is an admirable trait for a tragic hero to have... middle of paper... Macbeth was manipulated and suffered great suffering. deal in the middle. His death leaves the audience wondering what could have been, and whether he had anything else worth living for. To conclude, Macbeth indeed qualifies as a tragic hero. He starts out as a very respectable and admirable protagonist, even with very recognizable human characteristics. However, he possesses a good amount of self-confidence, which is shattered by his fall. Macbeth goes through an insane amount of suffering, such as the loss of his wife and the inevitable doom that is his death. Despite all the flaws and mistakes made, Macbeth still manages to make the audience experience catharsis. All of this is fundamental to being a tragic hero. Works Cited Shakespeare, William and John Crowther. No Fear Shakespeare: Macbeth. and. New York: Spark Publishing, 2003. Print.