Macbeth:Concious Villain To Unrepentant Tyrant Essay -- essays researc

Macbeth Conscious Villain to Unrepentant TyrantThesis To trace the degradation of Macbeth from a hero to a conscious villain to an unrepentant tyrant. I. Macbeth as a scrapper.A. Admired warriorB. Duncans AdmirationII.     Macbeth as a Conscious VillainA. First word of villainyB. Murder of DuncanC. Guilt-Ridden SoliquoyIII. Macbeth as a non-repentant TyrantA. Murder of Macduffs familyB. Selfish thoughts of sleep C. Feelings of Invincibility     Macbeth, like most tragedies tells the fall of the protagonist from grace. Macbeth, primitively a hero, degrades into a conscious villain who feels guilt and then into an unmerciful, non-repentant tyrant. A domain once heralded as a hero becomes the bane of the earthly concern and his people.     At the start of Macbeth we are introduced to him and it is implied that he is a great warrior and a great man. He is the hero of the recent battle and is the subject of rewards from Kin g Duncan. In circumstance one critic describes him as "A great warrior, somewhat masterful, rough, and abrupt, a man to inspire some fear and much admiration. There was in fact, much good in him certainly he was far from devoid of humanity and pity."(Bradley "Macbeth") This paints the picture of an admired, somewhat inpersonable hero who was admired for his bravery and courage. In fact even Duncan, his later victim, admired him. Duncan gives him another kingdom and appoints him the Thane of Cawdor. The captain says of Macbeth to Duncan thatFor brave Macbeth - well he deserves that name -- Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, which smoked with bloody execution, Like valors minion carved appear his passage Till he faced the slave Which nevr shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, Till he unseamed him from the nave to th chops (I, ii, 16-24)These are the words of a man who admires Macbeth, and at this point rightly so. This is the heroic Macbeth of whom we ar e speaking. Unfortunately Macbeth soon begins his down fall and becomes a conscious villain.     Macbeth degradation to a conscious villain begins with his first tidings of villainy. These tidings begin when Macbeth hears that the Duncans son is the next in line for kingship. Macbeth says of thisThe Prince of Cumberland... ...all concerns to get a good nights rest."(Scott ?) He has no feelings for others but envy, "He envies the murdered Duncan in his rest."(Scott ?) At this point after all his actions his main want is rest. Truly he has become an unfeeling tyrant.     The tragedy of Macbeth has a putting green plot, that of a hero losing his heroism. Macbeth once the admired warrior soon becomes the hated tyrant of Scotland. Through key points in the play you can trace this devastating downfall. From Hero to Unfeeling tyrant, that is the tragedy of Macbeth.          Consulted BibliographyA ndrews, F. John, ed. William Shakespeare His Work, II. New York Charles Scribners Sons, 1985Bradley, AC "The Character of Macbeth." England in Literature. Ed. James E.     Miller Jr., et. al. Illinois Scott Foresman and Co., 1973.Scott, Mark, ed. Shakespeare for Students. Detroit Gale Research Inc., 1992Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth, The British Tradition. Eds.      Ellen Bowler, et. al. New Jersey Prentice Hall, 1996