Compare Contrast Macbeth Othello and King Lear
Macbeth, Othello, and King Lear are three prominent Jacobean tragedies that William Shakespeare created with notable tragic protagonists. According to Aristotle a tragic protagonist is a nobleman or person from high honor who contributes to his own degeneration and illustrates a flaw or weakness in judgment. Finally, the tragic protagonist must make a fall from a high state of being to a low state or death. These characteristics being easily compared and contrasted can show how Shakespeare carefully fulfilled Aristotle's norms for a tragic hero in the above mentioned plays.The play Macbeth is an excellent work that follows Aristotle's norms closely. Macbeth is a brave warrior in King Duncan's Army who compromises his honor and neglects his moral responsibilities in the attainment of power and position which results in his tragic end.Macbeth is a man who killed Macdonwald to prove his courage and valor to King Duncan and Scotland. This also strengthens his ambition to become King. After being seduced by the witch's prophecies, Macbeth yields to his ambitions, leaving murdered bodies in his path, and his moralities behind to attain the kingship
Lear's tragedies are caused by his bad judgment and foolishness, his first mistake is requiting his throne and dividing his kingdom up unevenly between this three daughters. Othello not being observant to the cunning, untrustworthy, selfish and always plotting ways of Iago, allowed the scared matrimony and love shared between himself and Desdemona to be destroyed. Theses two tragic heroes did not realize that they have committed a horrible error until they suffer. Macbeth fulfills all Aristotle's expectations for a tragic protagonist. By creating a contest amongst the three daughters, in which they must declare their love for him, set the play into chaos. The point in the play when Othello accepts the rumors of Desdemona and Cassio being lovers is the point when Othello makes the choice that ultimately decides his deplorable state at the ending. By being a good natured, yet naive man, Edmund was able to talk his father into getting rid of his half brother. This allows Othello to be susceptible to Iago and the jealousy within him to begin to lead to the end of the others. Because of Macbeth's lust for power, he is constantly acting without thinking first. Both men mistook the good for the evil and suffering terribly for their misunderstandingsEvery tragedy has its own individual characteristics, but they all have some major points in common. Macbeth now knew that he had placed too much trust and hope on the witches prophesies, and allowed his wife to taunt and manipulate him in the ways that she did. It is a common element that binds these works together. Another tragedy by William Shakespeare which also adheres to Aristotle's norms for a tragic protagonist is Othello. The first act of violence that Othello commits is by striking Desdemona.
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