Macbeth: The Use Of The Classical Tragic Mold In Character Development

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But, even long before then, the next step in the
mold had begun: the descent into the abyss.
The "decent into the abyss" is the second step in the Classical
Tragic Mold. It is started with Macbeth's second soliloquy. This is after
Macbeth hears from Duncan that Malcolm was to be named the Prince of
Cumberland. "The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall
down, or else o'erleap, for in my way it lies ... Let not light see my
black and deep desires." (Shakespeare, 281). This quote from the soliloquy
indicates that Macbeth has, indeed, told himself that he will commit the
murder of Duncan, although he doesn't actually admit it until his wife
pressures him to do so. With this decision, the reader (or audience) reads
(or sees) that Macbeth is straying from the righteous path, and descending
into the abyss, even though he is keeping his feelings to himself. His
decision to murder Duncan tarnishes his "war hero" image and casts it in an
ominous shadow.
The third ...

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