Macbeth - Tragedy Essay - 1224 Words

William Shakespeare is the noted author of a vast array of plays, ranging from comedies to histories to tragedies. Perhaps one of his most famous in the tragedy genre is Macbeth. Though Shakespeare can be considered as a scholar in the sense that he was both a renowned and prolific playwright, look back a few hundred years to find Aristotle, one of the most famous scholars and philosophers of all time. In his treatise titled Poetics, he defends poetry against criticism as well as sets standards for tragedies in quot;The Nature of Tragedy,quot; a section of the Poetics. Is Macbeth fit to be included in the tragedy genre according to the standards set by Aristotle? According to Aristotle, a tragedy is quot;an imitation of an action†¦show more content†¦Now Macbeth has to accept that fact that he will yield, and in doing so, dies. Another part of the plot is the Scene of Suffering, which is quot;a destructive or painful action.quot; In the case of Macbeth, the Scene of Suffering could be the bloody murder of Duncan by Macbeth. As stated in quot;The Nature of Tragedy,quot; the change in fortune should be from good to bad rather than from bad to good. Although the sequence of events that occur throughout Macbeth may not appear to document a change in fortune from good to bad, they all constitute of a change because it shows Macbeths moral downfall. Also, according to Aristotle, the misfortune should be brought by the characters own error or frailty. In the case of Macbeth, the frailty that brings about his misfortune and eventual destruction is ultimately ambition. Another important aspect of a tragedy is character. In his Poetics, Aristotle says that quot;first and most important, it must be good.quot; Macbeths character in Macbeth is not exactly the portrayal of an ideal man, but he is not the worst man either. He may appear to be wicked and corrupt throughout the play, but he is actually portrayed as a relatively good man in the beginning of the play. At the start of the play, he possesses valor and bravery in the war and Duncan considers him to be honorable. quot;What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won.quot; TheShow MoreRelatedIs Macbeth a Tragedy?2186 Words   |  9 PagesA tragedy is often thought of as a sad, pitiful event. The factors used to label an event as tragic are the consequences and the lasting effects. For example, the consequences of one or more deaths can be seen as a tragedy. And tragedies are often remembered long after the event, clearly impacting the future for those involved. Many people interpret events such as a natural disaster, a death of a loved one, or a permanent disability as tragic. However, others say that this definition of a tragedyRead MoreMacbeth - Tragedy Essay1351 Words   |  6 Pagesclassical view, tragedy should arouse feelings of pity and fear in the audience. Does Macbeth do this? Tragedy has most definitely influenced the viewers thoughts on Macbeth within this play. In Shakespeares Macbeth, the audience sees a gradual breakdown in the character of Macbeth himself, due to the tragic events that unfold during the play. This has a direct effect on the audiences views and thoughts of Macbeth, thus creating pity and fear within the audience. Macbeth, being a man andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Tragedy Of Macbeth1207 Words   |  5 Pages The ‘Tragedy of Macbeth’ (also known as ‘Macbeth’) is a play written by William Shakespeare and it was first performed in 1606. This play presents plenty of themes through the action and dialogue throughout the play. Although the play is universally and most commonly referred to as the dark tragedy presented by Shakespeare. The most common themes that were introduced to the audience tend to be femininity versus masculinity, pride and honor, the role of supernatural, temptation and evil and a lotRead MoreManhood in The Tragedy of Macbeth1133 Words   |  5 PagesIn Shakespeare’s Macbeth, he uses the theme of manhood to create motives for characters to act like a man. This is seen in many occurrences in Macbeth where characters try to act like men for certain reasons. Characters that apply this action are Macbeth, the first murderer, Macduff, and Young Siward. These actions are seen throughout the play, and play a key role in the development of the performance. Macbeth tells himself to act like a man in the following lines: â€Å"Prithee, peace! / I dare doRead More Macbeth - Tragedy Essay1313 Words   |  6 Pagesthe classical view, tragedy should arouse feelings of pity and fear in the audience. Does Macbeth do this? Tragedy has most definitely influenced the viewer’s thoughts on Macbeth within this play. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the audience sees a gradual breakdown in the character of Macbeth himself, due to the tragic events that unfold during the play. This has a direct effect on the audience’s views and thoughts of Macbeth, thus creating pity and fear within the audience. Macbeth, being a man and aRead MoreThe Tragedy of Macbeth Essay542 Words   |  3 PagesThe Tragedy of Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare in 1604, portrays women in a variety of strengths. In Elizabethan society, women were considered the ‘weaker sex’ but in many of his plays Shakespeare appears to question this patriarchal society. Shakespeare wrote ‘ Macbeth’ intending to flatter King James I, the ruler in this era. James I had very strong opinions regarding women and, particularly, witches. He saw Women as inferior and expected them to be housewives and mothers. Shake speareRead MoreAristotelian Tragedy Macbeth Essays611 Words   |  3 PagesAristotelian Tragedy: Macbeth Aristotle is known widely for developing his ideas on tragedy. He recorded these ideas in his Poetics in which he comments on the plot, purpose, and effect that a true tragedy must have. The structure of these tragedies has been an example for many writers including Shakespeare himself. Many of Shakespeare’s plays follow Aristotelian ideas of tragedy, for instance Macbeth does a decent job in shadowing Aristotle’s model. Aristotle describes one of the most importantRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare1052 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish II 2 October, 2015 â€Å"Tragedy† of Macbeth Macbeth, a play written by one of the most influential English writers of all time William Shakespeare. It was created to be a Shakespearean tragedy. A tragedy as Aristotle defines it as: â€Å"Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude †¦. through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions† (Aristotle: Poetics). What this is saying for a tragedy is that it should have the audienceRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare1497 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare effectively explores and follows the framework of the tragedy, Macbeth; a tale of systematic suffering, which foreshadows and imminently leads to the death of a great man. Essentially, it is Macbeth’s flaw – his growing ambition – which leads to these harsh repercussions. Shakespeare demonstrates his tragedy, through Aristotle’s elements and definition of tragedy, which ultimately concerns the rever sal of good fortune to bad. In â€Å"Macbeth†, ambition conspires with supernatural forces to commit evilRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare899 Words   |  4 PagesWhat makes a once â€Å"brave friend† (1.2.6) â€Å"something wicked†? (4.1.45) In Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Macbeth, the answer to this question is played out. At the beginning of the play, the main character, Macbeth, is deemed â€Å"valiant† (1.2.24) and â€Å"noble† (1.2.68); however, after his encounter with the witches, his dark side starts to bubble up. As such, the Weird Sisters symbolize the ubiquitous evil that is in the world and present the theme man’s susceptibility to temptation. While the witches do play