Apply Aristotle's theory of tragedy to Shakespeare's Macbeth.

According to Aristotle, there are three elements that make
a story a tragedy. The three elements (from the Greek) are hamartia, peripeteia, and
anagnorisis, and all are present in Shakespeare's
Macbeth.

Regarding hamartia,
it is recognized that the "hero" has a tragic flaw; and the character's actions create
problems that were not anticipated. In terms of Macbeth, Macbeth's
tragic flaw is "vaulting ambition," or ambition that cannot be stopped; rather it trips
over itself so that the character can, in this case, move up in the
world.

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Macbeth:

I
have no spur

To prick the sides of my intent, but
only

Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps
itself,

And falls on th'other. . . .
(I.vii.25-28)

Peripeteia
indicates a change or "reversal" in one's
circumstances.

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...a sudden turn of events or an unexpected
reversal, especially in a literary work, or...

[a] sudden
and violent change in circumstances, especially in
drama

In
Macbeth, we might look to the witches' predictions for this
reversal, or in terms of a violent change, we could refer to Macbeth killing Duncan and
becoming a murderer—and then King.

The last element of
tragedy, according to Aristotle is when the main character has something like an
epiphany: when a critical piece of information is revealed to him
(her). Anagnorisis...

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...is a moment in a play or other work when a
character makes a critical discovery...
or,

Anagnorisis is the recognition by
the tragic hero of some truth about his or her identity or action that accompanies the
reversal of the situation in the plot,
the peripeteia...

In this
case, it occurs when Macbeth finally realizes that the witches' have led him to his
doom, when all of the seemingly impossible "caveats" in their predictions actually
occur. It looks like Birnham Wood is moving to
Dunsinane Hill.

Amid these three elements, Macbeth is also
a tragic hero. Aristotle defines the tragic hero as a "great" (important) man; he dies
due to his tragic flaw; and, his death is his own fault. Macbeth is a great man: he is a
decorated and honored soldier of King Duncan, well-loved by the King and admired by his
peers. He has fought like a lion on the battlefield for his King. Macbeth dies because
of his tragic flaw: vaulting ambition. He tries to be happy with all that Duncan has
given him—the rewards and the honors. He tells Lady Macbeth he does not
want to continue in their plot to kill the King, who Macbeth truly
loves and admires. Lady Macbeth insults his manhood, and Macbeth gives in to her nagging
and his ambitious nature, and ultimately, he dies. His death is his own fault because he
does not ignore the witches' predictions—as does Banquo—and he gives in to his wife's
desires, allowing her to manipulate him when he really does not want to commit regicide;
however, she wants to be queen.

And
so, Macbeth is a tragedy by Aristotle's definition, and Macbeth a
tragic hero as well.