Macbeth and Washizu the Tragic Heroes - 971 Words

M.H. Abrams description of the tragic hero outlines the main characteristics of a tragic hero. In the play Macbeth, and film Throne of Blood, Macbeth and Washizu are the main characters that fulfill the definition of a tragic hero. They implement M.H. Abrams definition of the tragic hero because they have flaws that lead them to their reversal of fortune, which cause them to evoke the pity and fear from the audience. Macbeth and Washizu also demonstrate how they are better than we are, which indicates that they have a higher moral worth that amplifies the tragic effect. First, Macbeth and Washizu both have a tragic flaw, which leads into their reversal of fortune. Macbeth and Washizu give into their ambition and pride while they†¦show more content†¦He is truly a character that is better than we are, a character above the average person in respect to nobility and praise. Also, as Macbeth and Washizu were born into nobility, they illustrate their success as they live in castles with many servants and other materialistic objects. Third, the characters both evoke our pity and fear. The audience have a sense of pity for them because neither Washizu nor Macbeth are completely evil characters and they show some good in them, causing them to be a mix of the two opposites. We feel pity for Washizu when he is killed by his own men at the end of the movie, because he has allowed his tragic flaw (ambition) to control himself. Macbeth also evocates fear from the audience in many moments, including while he is murdering the king. He screams out and says, Whos there? What ho! (2.2.8). These words make the audience think that Macbeth has been caught in the act of murdering the king, which arouses fear. Once again, Macbeth arouses pity from the audience when he learns that Lady Macbeth has died. He says, She should have died herafter/ There would have been a time for such a word (5.5.17-18). These words make us pity him, because during the play he says these words with great sadness, and we feel that he now has no one to support him. In conclusion, Macbeth and Washizu both fit M.H. Abrams