Macbeth as tragic hero The character of Macbeth is a classic example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. There are many factors that contribute to the degeneration of Macbeth, three of which will be discussed. The three points that greatly contribute to Macbeth's degeneration are the prophecy that was told to him by the witches, the way Lady Macbeth influenced and manipulated Macbeth's judgment, and finally Macbeth's long-standing ambition that drove his desire to become king. Macbeth's growing character degenerates from a noble man to a violent individual. The prophecies told by the witches were one of the factors that contributed to the degeneration of his character. If it weren't for the witches who told him he would become Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glamis, and King of Scotland, Macbeth would still be himself. As a result of the prophecies, this sparked Macbeth's curiosity about how he could become king of Scotland. As the play progresses, Macbeth slowly relies on the witches' prophecies. Shakespeare uses witches as a remedy for Macbeth's curiosity which corrupts his character. The influence of Macbeth's wife, Lady Macbeth, also contributed to the degeneration of his character. The character of Lady Macbeth initially reveals that she is a lovable person. When Lady Macbeth was ready to kill King Duncan herself, she proved that Lady Macbeth could not kill King Duncan because he reminded her of her father. This shows that Lady Macbeth has a heart deep inside. Lady Macbeth plays an important role in this play because she provided a plan that led Macbeth to murder King Duncan. After Macbeth kills King Duncan, he later regrets his wrong behavior. At the point of this play the audience can notice the change in Macbeth's character. Macbeth's first murder was a difficult experience for him, however after the first murder, killing seemed to be the only solution to maintain his reign over the Scottish people. Therefore, it was Lady Macbeth who introduced the concept of murder into Macbeth. Macbeth's ambition also influenced his declining character. However, Macbeth's ambition had not been strong enough to justify killing King Duncan. Lady Macbeth's influence also comes into play because if it weren't for Lady Macbeth, his ambition would not have been intensified enough to drive him to gain and keep the title of King of Scots, no matter what it took, even if it meant killing..