Shakespeares Macbeth does not Follow Aristotles Standards for a Trage

Macbeth does not Follow Aristotles Standards for a Tragedy There have been many heavy(p) tragic authors throughout history Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles from ancient Greece Corneille and Hugo from France Grillparzer and Schiller from Germany and Marlowe, Webster, and Shakespeare from England. From this long list of men, Shakespeare is the most commonly known. Many Shakespearean critics agree that Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet are massive tragedies. Many critics also claim that Macbeth is a tragedy, but if one follows Aristotles standards for a tragedy, Macbeth would not be a tragedy To really determine if Macbeth is a tragedy according to Aristotle, one must first look at his guidelines. The majority of Aristotles standards relate to the laying waste of the central character. To set the character up for a surrender, Aristotle thought he or she should be of the middle class. This was because he felt the poor had nothing to lose. He also felt the downfall should be caused by a fatal flaw. Another characteristic Aristotle believed was important, was a conflict between the central character and a close wizard or relative. According to him, the main character should also have an discernment at the moment of his or her downfall. Aristotle also believed that the feelings of pity and fear should be felt by the audience during the play. He thought that these feelings would lead to a catharsis, or release of emotions. Although most of Aristotles characteristics of a tragedy had to do with the downfall, he had two that did not. First, he thought the central character should not be totally good or evil. This was based on the belief that the break of a totally good character would be too painful, and the infract of a totally bad char... ... not even thank is married woman for the plan that made him king. Due to Malcolms final speech, the reader is left with positive, not negative feelings. Overall Macbeth is not a tragedy according the Aristotles standards. Mac beths downfall does follow the guidelines he has something to lose, he has a downfall, and he has conflicts with his friends and relatives during his downfall. But, the heart of the play, which is the emotions created, right do not follow Aristotles standards. The reader should feel pity, and grieve. Yet, there is no reason to feel this way because Macbeth is all evil, and in the end, the good jest at is restored to power. Shakespeare put forth good effort in trying to work out Macbeth a tragedy, but he came up too short.Works CitedShakespeare, William. Macbeth. The pass with flying colors Works of Shakespeare. Ed. David Bevington. New York Longman, 1997.