“Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitute; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions.” This complex yet important sentence is the definition of a tragedy, according to Aristotle. The question of whether Macbeth is a tragedy is a highly debatable issue, because many things can constitue a tragedy—for example, Aristotle’s teaching that a tragedy must consist of six parts: plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle, and sons. Macbeth, however, is not a tragedy because we can neither love Macbeth nor believe that he comes to any recognition of his own responsibility for his own downfall.
Because of Macbeth’s violent, volatile nature, it is very difficult for one to like him. It is fairly evident that Macbeth will stop at nothing to obtain the kingship, even if it involves murdering Duncan, which he eventually does. In II, i, Macbeth even admits that his desire for the throne is in fact a rather sinister one: “Stars, hide your fires;/Let not light see my black and deep desires.

Not only does Macbeth want so badly to kill Duncan, but he also desires the assistance of others, namely, Banquo. Macbeth is even prepared to take desparate measures—or, in this case, simply bribe Banquo— in order to secure Banquo’s help, as evident in Act II, i, 34-35: “If you shall cleave to my consent, when ‘tis,/It shall make honor for you.” Macbeth is basically telling Banquo that if Banquo joins the cause to kill Duncan, Macbeth will make it worth his while—in other words, he will possibly give him a high role in society. Banquo, however, responds rather hesitantly, saying that he would rather keep his “bosom franchised and allegiance clear.”

Although Macbeth does not necessarily lack definitive heroic qualities, he does lack qualities that enable him to be liked by the reader. He is not very warm, compassionate, or considerate of others, beside himself. According to Aristotle, however, a tragic hero has to fall from grace from a high position, and after the fall, he must suffer with dignity. Macbeth does fall from grace, but he does not fulfill the “suffering with dignity” requirement. He is suffering at the end of the play; however, he fails to do so with dignity: “Why should I play the Roman fool and die/ On mine own sword? Whiles I see lives, the gashes/Do better upon them” (V, vii), thus proving that Macbeth really shows no signs of dignity, even when he is near death. He continues to descend into darkness, and even describes himself appropriately to Seyon in (V, v, 11-18): “…I have supped full with horrors./Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts,/Cannot once start me.” Macbeth, a few lines later, is also aware of his forthcoming demise: “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player/That struts and frets his hour upon the stage/And then is heard no more. It is a tale/Told by an idiot, full of so