The Shakespearean play Macbeth is a story of human nature and the choice each person must make between inner evil and inner goodness. In the play there are two main characters with the qualities of courage and great achievement that heroes possess. Macbeth is the tragic hero of the story, an estimable man brought down by his flaws, and Macduff is the avenging hero, a wronged individual who fights for a just and just cause. Both of these men live similar lives up to a certain point where each decides whether they will choose a life of selfishness or honor. We see Macbeth's ambition overcome him as he chooses to fight for his own cause. However, when tragedy strikes Macduff, we see his virtue as he sets out to do what is right by fighting for the true King of Scotland, Malcolm. Macbeth and Macduff's actions shape the rest of their lives and decide the nature of their heroism. The character of Macbeth is the battlefield on which we witness one of the most intense fights of the entire work, forming our tragic hero. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is described as honorable and courageous for having fought fearlessly in the initial battle. Indeed, Macbeth appears to be a worthy man. However, when he is faced with the opportunity to gain more power through the use of evil tactics, a war ignites within him. Although he is strongly drawn towards the evil within by his personal ambition and the influence of his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's conscience and human kindness do not allow him to give up easily. In the heat of battle, Macbeth's ambition proves victorious when he chooses to commit Duncan's murder. Although the first murder leads to others, Macbeth does not turn...... middle of paper ...... contrasting his altruistic actions with Macbeth's selfish ambitions. Macduff is the hero that Macbeth could have been if he had not chosen darkness. Everything Macbeth does goes against the human kindness he once had. He forces himself not to feel as the guilt for his murderous actions overtakes him, sinking deeper and deeper. Macduff's choices all reflect his heroic nature, as he chooses to feel the death of his family as a man, determined to fight the evil that caused it. The passion that both men possess drives them to kill; one does it out of selfish desires and the other out of justice. Macbeth's murder shows how deep his ambitions are, while Macduff's killing of Macbeth reflects how deep his sense of justice is. In the end, we see that the tragic hero and the righteous hero of Macbeth are formed through their own choices and have reaped what they sow..