Pride Essays (1181 words) - Characters In Macbeth,

Pride PRIDE Any great accomplishment can make someone feel proud about their work. It makes one feel good; it raises a persons spirits. No question, pride has its good points. (The Toronto Star, Nov 1999) Then again, there are also the bad points of pride one must consider, before being proud. Pride can deceive a person into being ambitious, and make them strive for something that is not rightfully theirs. Both Macbeth and Willy encountered this problem. Pride can also cause a bad relationship with the people one loves most. For Macbeth and Willy, their relationships with their families were burdened as a consequence of this pride. Pride can lead to much worse things; it can put a person in a position to be their ultimate cause of their death, and such was the fate for Willy Loman and Macbeth. Its an excess of pride that buys you one-way, economy coach passage to the fires of hell. (The Toronto Star, Nov 1999) In the play Macbeth and Death of a Salesman, both Macbeth and Willy are seen as tragic heroes due to their pride, as seen in these three situations. First, both characters pride swindled them into believing they could be so much more than they were meant to be, it made them ambitious. In any monarchial country, such as Scotland, the greatest achievement would be the crown. When King Duncan announced that Malcolm, his son would succeed him, Macbeths vaulting ambition made him believe that [this] is a step, On which I must fall down, or else oerleap. (Macbeth, Act 1, Sc. 4, ll. 49-50) His pride forced him to want to be king. Willy, who also has an excessive amount of pride, told his wife that if he keeps it up hell be a member of the firm. (Death of a Salesman, Pg. 85) This small compliment paid to Willy by his boss is misinterpreted, taken much too seriously, and because of it he turns down a very good business offer from his brother Ben. Ben offered Willy the chance to go to Alaska to run a logging company, but because of that one compliment, and his pride causing him to embellish, he told his brother he could not go because he w as building something with this firm. (Death of a Salesman, Pg. 85) Willys pride exaggerated that one compliment from his boss, Old Man Wagner, ridiculously, making him yearn for the wrong goal. Instead of staying in New York, Willy should have gone to Alaska with his brother. Macbeth, after being crowned Thane of Cawdor, thinks to himself Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor. The greatest is [to come] (Macbeth, Act 1, Sc. 3, ll. 117-118) Even with all he has accomplished, Macbeths pride makes him want more. Both Willys and Macbeths pride caused them to be ambitious. Second, in each play, both characters pride caused undue hardship and stress on their relationships with their families. Willy had big hopes for his son Biff. He dreamed of him becoming a football superstar saying to his friend Charley Theyll be calling him another Red Grange. Twenty-five thousand a year. (Death of a Salesman, Pg. 89) Willy had done this to Biff all his life. Because of these high hopes, when he did not succeed, Biff believed he had failed, which made him feel terrible. He eventually realized [hes] a dime a dozen, and so is [Willy] (Death of a Salesman, Pg. 132) This infuriate Willy, and he exclaimed I am not a dime a dozen! I am Willy Loman, and you are Biff Loman! (Death of a Salesman, Pg. 132) Willy truly believed he was big. Biff crushed this belief with the peak of his argument, saying, Pop, Im nothing! Im nothing, Pop. Cant you understand that? Theres no spite in it any more. Im just what I am, thats all. (Death of a Salesman, Pg. 132-133) With that said, Willy no longer cared about those high hopes for Biff, and just left the argument alone. Having family problems alike, is Macbeth. After Duncans murder (caused by Macbeths pride), Macbeths relationship with his wife withered away. She believed they were [dwelling] in doubtful joy. (Macbeth, Act 3, Sc. 2, ll. 7) from that point