The tragedies of William Shakespeare often include a tragic hero. A tragic hero is one who brings about his own ruin and that of those he loves. The tragic hero is not necessarily evil, he is simply human and has human flaws. There is often a “fatal flaw” that leads to one’s downfall. In the play, Macbeth, the tragic hero, is the main character, Macbeth. He is tempted by the opportunity to seize the throne and he will do anything to obtain it. He gradually isolates himself until he dies alone. Three factors contributed to the fatal flaws in Macbeth's character. He is willing to let his actions be influenced by superstitious beliefs. The three witches told Macbeth that he would become king and he believed that because it was a supernatural prophecy, it would come true no matter what he did. He has a consuming ambition to be king and this prevents him from exercising his reason and good judgment. In certain circumstances, ambition can be considered a strength of character. However, in Macbeth, the combination of his love for Lady Macbeth and his ambition allows him to be influenced by her, thus contributing to his downfall. He held considerable and growing power in Scotland. He considers himself invincible and doesn't believe anything can bring him down. It is this belief that even leads him to Duncan's murder and his eventual downfall. Macbeth was a good man, but in the end he did the wrong thing. It is important to note that Macbeth took the wrong path. His conscience told him that what he was doing was wrong and despite this, Macbeth continued his actions. This is another thing that makes him a tragic hero. He knowingly made the wrong choice and because...... middle of paper ......n between him and Macduff takes place. Macbeth tells Macduff that "no woman born" can harm him. It is here that it is revealed to Macbeth that Macduff did not have a normal birth. Macbeth is killed and the greater order is restored to Scotland. Every human being has character flaws. Macbeth was his ambition, his love and his self-image. That alone isn't enough to make him evil. He was simply tempted by power. He wasn't the one who got him into trouble but he was driven by his love for his wife. All this time, witches were the puppet masters of everyone's lives. Even though Macbeth made some poor judgments, his compassionate state of mind cannot be ignored. It is tragic that so many noble qualities were destroyed and even in its last defense one can only admire the struggle of a courageous will with a cowardly conscience..