“Tragic heroes are failed pragmatists. Their ends are unrealistic and their means are impractical” - Adam Philipp. Tragic heroes are protagonists presented as honorable people with heroic traits, but they have flaws or make mistakes that ultimately lead to their downfall. The tragic hero only realizes the error of his judgment when it is too late. The archetype of the tragic hero is represented in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare and “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. “Macbeth” is a play that follows the downfall of a noble and loyal Thane who allows his deepest desire to control him. On the other hand, "The Great Gatsby" is the story of a rich man whose deepest desire consumes him and inadvertently leads to his tragic demise. After careful analysis, it is evident that Macbeth and Gatsby's fatal flaws lead to their corruption and ultimate downfall. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay To begin, Macbeth, like Gatsby, portrays the archetype of the tragic hero because his flaws play a role in his eventual destruction. Once Macbeth listens to a prophecy in which it is revealed that Macbeth will become king, his hidden ambition is discovered and this ambition ends up having deadly consequences. Macbeth clearly reveals his ambition when he says “The Prince of Cumberland!” It is a step/On which I must fall, or else jump/For it lies in my path. Stars, hide your fires/Let the light not see my dark and deep desires.” Because of the witches' prophecy, Macbeth truly believes that he is the rightful king of Scotland and he will do anything to make the prophecy come true. His ambition to become king is so strong that he is willing to assassinate King Duncan, whom Macbeth recognizes as a good ruler who has bestowed many gifts on him. At this point, Macbeth intends to pursue his goal of killing King Duncan and has his eyes set on the throne. Although Macbeth is presented as a loyal and courageous subject at the beginning of the play, his ambition quickly corrupts him morally as he justifies the evil act of killing Duncan as being "right" in his eyes. Additionally, Macbeth's endless greed for power and superiority over others drives Macbeth to commit horrible acts of violence in order to maintain his rank as ruler of Scotland. Macbeth's willingness to do whatever it takes to solidify his role as King of Scotland is demonstrated when he states, "To be thus is nothing/But to be thus safe." Our fears in Banquo.” This is what Macbeth states after becoming king, but he is still worried because he is afraid of losing his position. This leads him to arrange Banquo's murder, which reveals how giving in to his ambition and murdering Duncan did not bring Macbeth peace, but instead left him more paranoid and anxious. Even after Macbeth commits regicide and becomes king, his desire for power becomes more obsessive as he is never satisfied with the power he possesses. This leads Macbeth down a path of madness in which he must continue to commit violent actions in order to maintain his hold on the newly acquired power. To conclude, Macbeth succumbs to his ambition and greed which cause him to fall into madness. To begin with, Gatsby, like Macbeth, has a hamartia that causes his unpleasant fortune. However, Gatsby's tragic flaw is his fixation on a woman named Daisy. An example of Gatsby's obsession with Daisy is evident when Nick Carraway says: "There must have been times, even this afternoon, when Daisy failed to achieve her dreams – not through her own fault, but has..