Beginning of Essay
? "Macbeth?" This question may seem to be redundant; however, not all of Shakespeare's Tragedies are named after their tragic heroes. For example, Julius Caesar is not the tragic hero of "Julius Caesar." A tragic hero must conform to a set of characteristics whic ....

Middle of Essay
.... Despite his status, he has a character defect. A tragic hero must have a character flaw. This character flaw causes him to make an error in judgment, "a mistaken act," which leads to his downfall. Because Macbeth is ambitious, he wants to become king. In order to take over the throne, he kills Duncan, and thus commits his terrible crime, and eventually is punished. The tragic hero must deserve his fate. He must not simply make a mistake, like stepping off a curb in front of a moving vehicle. He must commit some terrible crime for which he is punished. People of the Elizabethan Period were well aware of the problems created when kings are mu ....