Many theorists hold that the hero of a tragedy ought to be a man of great power and status so that his fall, when it occurs, is all the more impressive, awe-inspiring, and shocking. Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, is a classic tragedy whose exceptional calamity leads to the eventual death of the powerful and over-ambitious protagonist Macbeth. Although Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, are two seemingly evil people, it is unusual to find a character …showed first 75 words of 979 total…

…showed last 75 words of 979 total…massacre of Macduff's family. However, in spite of these actions, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth understand that their behaviour has been immoral. This indicates that they have a conscience, and so they cannot be depicted as 'wholly evil'. Perhaps Macbeth is merely a victim of the witches, a respectable and virtuous person who has been transformed into someone vile and sinister by the unnatural powers of the witches. Thus Macbeth can not be labelled 'wholly evil'.