sympathy for macbeth

A tragedy is a drama that involves the tragic downfall or demise of the main character in the play. Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, is the story of a thane, Macbeth, who murders his king, Duncan, for personal gains. Despite Macbeth’s negative attributes, (greed, corruption, paranoia, etc . . .) the reader pities Macbeth. Shakespeare forces the audience to react sympathetically to Macbeth through use of Macbeth’s actions, dialogue, and passion. Judging Macbeth superficially by …

…fate, also invoking pity from the reader. Despite Macbeth’s reprehensible deeds, Shakespeare makes the audience react with sympathy towards Macbeth. Macbeth, a victim of his own ambition, breaks down mentally becoming overly paranoid. At the end of the play, Macbeth attempts to regain some dignity by dying with courage and not fighting his fate. Indeed, when one examines the presentation of Macbeth and not just his actions, one feels sympathy for the tragic hero.