~ Macbeth ~ Critical Analysis "Hail, king! For so thou art: behold where stands th' usurper's cursed head. The time is free." (Shakespeare 5.8.54 pg. 96) With these words, the reader sees Macbeth's life and all hopes of him ever becoming one of the great rulers of Scotland end in bloody savagery. However, it is not common for the reader to have much sympathy for the deceased Macbeth: he was not murdered in his bed, he was not betrayed …showed first 75 words of 856 total…

…showed last 75 words of 856 total…in his heart and laying waste to whatever stood between him and glory. In conclusion, Macbeth fit the definition of a tragic hero like a glove: he was, for the most part, the protagonist (or hero), but brought about his own defeat by acting on fear, being overly ambitious, and letting his reign of terror get completely out of control. It almost makes one wonder if Macbeth defined the tragic hero in the first place.