Discuss the Concept of Tragic Flaw as It Relates to Macbeth

Ambition can make one succeed, but it can also make one fail. Being ambitious is good when a person is to achieve a goal. However, being overly ambitious can make one lose focus and bring him down. In Macbeth, those three deceiving witches arose MacbethÐŽ¦s desire and ambition for the throne. Nonetheless, MacbethÐŽ¦s overgrown ambition became his tragic flaw.

MacbethÐŽ¦s ambition changed his personality greatly. He used to be loyal to Duncan, the King of Scotland: ÐŽ§The service and the loyalty I owe / In doing it pays itself.ЎЁ (I, iv, 25-26) Also, he was well-known and respected for his bravery on war fields. However, the witchesÐŽ¦ prophecies made him ambitious. Macbeth betrayed the beloved King Duncan, who deeply trusted him, by making plans to kill Duncan: ÐŽ§I am settled and bend up / Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.ЎЁ (I, vii, 92-93) Ambitious had turned him from an honest man to a villain. It was the first step of MacbethÐŽ¦s fall.

MacbethÐŽ¦s ambition deteriorated his relationship with his friends. King Duncan and Macbeth used to be good friends. Nevertheless, MacbethÐŽ¦s ambition filled his mind and blinded him. He began to see Duncan as an obstacle on his way of being king, and he just wanted to get rid of him: ÐŽ§Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell / That summons thee to heaven or to hell.ЎЁ (II, I, 76-77) Banquo was MacbethÐŽ¦s old friend, who had fought with Macbeth in countless wars. Nonetheless, Macbeth was afraid that the witchesÐŽ¦ prophecy about Banquo, which indicated that BanquoÐŽ¦s descendents would be kings, would come true. Thus, Macbeth saw Banquo and Fleance as enemies: ÐŽ§So is [Banquo] mine [enemy], and in such bloody distance that every minute of his being thrusts / Against my nearÐŽ¦st of life.ЎЁ (III, I, 132-134) Macbeth hired murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance. His ambition lost him two of his intimate friends, and it was the second step of his failure.

MacbethÐŽ¦s ambition turned people against him. He killed Duncan in order to get the throne, and people suspected him of killing Duncan because of his unusual behavior and words after Duncan died. Macduff saw that Scotland had become miserable after Macbeth was crowned king, so he went to England and organized army to overthrow Macbeth. On the other hand, MacbethÐŽ¦s army did not want to fight. They were only following orders. None of the soldiers were fighting