To explain whether William Shakespeare's Macbeth is a tragic hero we first have to understand the definition of a tragic hero. It is a `literary character that makes an error of judgement or has a fatal flaw, combined with fate and external forces, brings on tragedy'. It is also a `protagonist that is otherwise perfect except for a tragic flaw that eventually leads to his demise at the end'. A tragic hero must possess four qualities, goodness, superiority, a tragic flaw and the realisation of the flaw and his inevitable demise. He must make an error of judgement; he must have external forces pressing on him. In Aristotle's definition, he says that a tragic hero after the fall must `suffer with dignity'.

There are numerous points to support the statement that Macbeth is a tragic hero. There is evidence to show Macbeth suffered with dignity. For example, in...