Question

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in the shakespearean tragedy macbeth, the protagonist, macbeth begins a victorious general, is loyal to the king, and is highly respected. he is a good person and admired by others.
however, macbeth is convinced that even though he could become king by waiting that he should choose violence instead and plot to kill king duncan.
in the end, after king duncan is killed, macbeth becomes paranoid, murders more people, his country collapses into chaos, and he dies alone in battle.
based on this description, what is macbeths tragic flaw?

a. his paranoia because it helps him strategies on the battlefield but eventually makes him act crazy.

b. his ambition because it made him respected but ultimately caused him to go overboard and lose everything.

c. his violence because it is never good to be violent and it will always destroy you in the end.

Explanation:

A tragic flaw is a character trait that leads to a protagonist's downfall. Macbeth's ambition drives him to seek power (killing Duncan), which initially made him respected but ultimately caused his downfall (paranoia, more murders, country in chaos, death). Option A: Paranoia is a result of his actions, not the core flaw. Option C: Violence is a means, not the inherent flaw; ambition is the root. So B fits.

Answer:

B. His ambition because it made him respected but ultimately caused him to go overboard and lose everything.