Macbeth, a butcher?

“…this dead butcher…” Is Malcolm’s final judgement of Macbeth an accurate epitaph? I would argue that the phrase “…this dead butcher…” would seem fully justified to describe a king who has caused the deaths of so many innocent people, but is an over-simple and rash judgement by Malcolm in his emotional circumstances. I would suggest that the label “…moral coward…” would be a more suitable title for Macbeth and his attempts to divorce himself …

…end of the play when he leaves the stage as he entered it, as a noble warrior. The times when Macbeth was a “…butcher…”, in every aspect, is such a small percentage that I believe “…this dead butcher…” would be an inaccurate and unfair epitaph for someone who spent most of his life fighting loyally and as and valiant, noble warrior for the king and whose only character flaw was to respond to his ambition.