A tragic hero should provoke our sympathy. Do you sympathize with Macbeth? Why or why not? Does his downfall evoke pity and terror? Does he fit Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero?

Macbeth can be deemed a "tragic hero" according to the Aristotelian theory.

He brought upon his own downfall due to his own flaw in his judgment. Thus, it is easy to sympathize with him, evoking a sense of pity and fear in us, the readers.

Explanation:

Macbeth of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is indeed a tragic hero in his own rights.

He was a good noble for King Duncan at the beginning of the play. But swayed by the words of the three witches, he was blinded by the thought of his own success and greatness. This led to the numerous acts of violence and even killings as long as it was to make sure that the throne belongs to him/ the prophecy of the witches is brought true.

So, when he began to falter and get defeated, it is pitiful to see him fall from grace. He may have been a mad and power-hungry man, even going to the length of getting his own friend Banquo and his king Duncan killed. But it was also his tragic flaw "hamartia" that has led to this. His misjudgment in his own character, his misunderstanding, has led to his own downfall.

According to Aristotle in his "Poetics", he defines a "tragic hero" as someone who has a judgmental misunderstanding which led to his downfall. It is mostly seen in the character of the protagonist, who evokes a sense of pity and fear in the readers or audience. He must also bring upon his own downfall, realizing his flaw through his exhibition of an excessive pride in himself. This reversal of his fortune, i.e. from good to bad, is also one of the major characteristics of a "tragic hero".

Considering all the above points according to the Aristotelian definition of a "tragic hero", we can safely say that Macbeth fits the role of a tragic hero. Though his fortune changes early in the play, he can still be classified in the same category. He also brought about his own downfall, with his tragic judgmental nature of trying so hard to become what the witches had predicted for him.

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