Macbeth and Dorian Gray as Tragic Heroes

Macbeth and Dorian Gray as Tragic Heroes

It is a tragedy for any man to become corrupted by the world around them because in the end it will only lead to his demise. Macbeth and "The Picture of Dorian Gray" serve as perfect literary examples through which one can explore how a man becomes a tragic hero. Macbeth is a classic example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. Many factors contribute to Macbeth's downfall, three of which being the prophecies of the Wyrd sisters, manipulation by Lady Macbeth and Macbeth's ambition to become king. Dorian Gray, on the other hand, is not a classic example of a tragic hero. "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is the story of a young man who becomes corrupted by his own beauty and other people's obsession with his beauty. Ultimately, Dorian sells his soul and lives a life of lavish extravagance and selfishness. Macbeth and Dorian Gray are both tragic heroes who have a lot of differences but share similarities as well.

Macbeth is introduced in the play in the wounded captain's recollection of his bravery and his capability as a warrior. "For brave Macbeth--well he deserves that name--/Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,/Which smoked with bloody execution,/Like valor's minion carved out his passage/Till he faced the slave;/Which ne'er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,/Till he unseamed him from the nave to th' chops,/And fixed his head upon our battlements..." (Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 2, lines 16-24). This view of Macbeth changes, however, throughout the course of the play. Macbeth soon becomes corrupted when he has an encounter with the Wyrd sisters and they force their prophecies upon him. Macbeth's downfall as a tragic hero truly begins after the Wyrd sisters tell Macbeth that his fate it to become King. "All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis!/All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!/All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!..." (Macbeth, Act 1, scene 3, lines 49-51). After the Wyrd sisters tell Macbeth his prophesies, they turn to Banquo and explain his surprising fate as well. "Lesser than Macbeth and greater./Not so happy, yet much happier./Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none./ So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!.." (Macbeth, Act 1 scene 3, lines 66-69). As the Wyrd sisters explain how Banquo's offspring will be King, Macbeth becomes concerned and his ambition to become King is truly put into action. Throughout the course of the story, Macbeth goes through extreme measures in order to ensure his place as King of Scotland. However, it is not only Macbeth who suffers from ambition to become King but also his wife, Lady Macbeth, suffers from wanting to be queen and will not stop at anything until she is. She manipulates Macbeth by demeaning him and questioning his manhood. "What beast was 't, then,/That made you break this enterprise to me?/When you durst do it, then you were a man;/And to be more than what you were, you would/Be so much more the man." (Macbeth, Act 1, scene 7, lines 47-51). In this way, Lady Macbeth is using her power over Macbeth in order to force him to commit gruesome and terrible acts. Macbeth goes through extreme measures in order to become King. He commits numerous murders, including that of Banquo, King Duncan, Macduff's family and others. Macbeth's downfall was due to his own faults and his over ambition to becoming King. And like all tragic heroes, Macbeth's own actions brought him to his eventual death.

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" is the story of a young man who became obsessed with his own beauty and youth and sold his soul in order to remain beautiful forever. Dorian is introduced in the book as a beautiful young man who has yet to be corrupted by the real world. His negative influence, however, is introduced shortly thereafter. Dorian gets his