Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ is often described as one his most tragic plays, as the tale is full of betrayal, dishonour and the demise of great and heroic characters. The aspect that identifies Macbeth as a tragic character, is his downfall due to one of his own flaws. At the very beginning of the play (Act 1), other characters comment on the bravery and heroicness of Macbeth’s valiant fight in a battle that he should have surely lost, and he is praised by the king himself. Therefore, it can be surmised that Macbeth is a hero, even prior to his involvement in the play. Unfortunately, his one tragic flaw is his vaulting ambition, and almost immediately after the prophecies are foretold, Macbeth begins to contemplate by what means he can gain kingship (he even considers killing Duncan). This battle with his conscience between right and wrong makes him open to easy influence by his wife, a greed driven and manipulative woman who lusts after a higher title, and although she plots to kill the king, Macbeth rightfully decides against the murder of a guest in his own home; a good man and his kin. Such reputable characteristics and actions add to the sense of Macbeth being an ethical and honourable character, which in turn, also add to the impending sense of his tragic downfall. A clear indication of his degeneration prevails when Macbeth begins to hallucinate a knife, which he takes further encouragement to carry out Duncan’s murder: “Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going” (2:1:43). He knows what he is doing and is in full control, and a struggle between his moral and his ambition exemplifies Macbeth’s doubt and fear and regret at his decisions. Ambition wins out, and he embraces immorality to get what he wants. Therein lies the tragedy of Macbeth; that his ambitious desires left him weak and open to influence from evil forces (his wife, the prophecies, the knife etc.). Once achieving his ‘dreams’, Macbeth begins to