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 macbeth’s tragic flaw?
a. his paranoia because it helps him strategize 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 choose violence (plotting to kill the king) instead of waiting, leading to paranoia, more murders, chaos, and his death. Option A: Paranoia is a result, not the root flaw. Option C: Violence is a result of his ambition, not the flaw itself. Option B correctly identifies ambition as the trait that started his respect but led to his downfall.

Answer:

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