Heavy is the Crown: Macbeth

Macbeth is a Shakespearean tragedy in which its protagonist travels down a dark path of greed and violence, and it inevitably leads to his downfall. The phrase "Heavy is the crown" resonates deeply with Macbeth, even though the line is from a different play, however, it captures the thematic weight of kingship and the burdens of power that haunt Macbeth after he ascends to the throne. His crown is heavy not just because of its literal symbolism but due to the guilt, paranoia, and moral corruption that come with it. 

Different than other Shakespearean tragedies, here Macbeth is both the villain and the hero. He is deeply human, as flawed as he is, and he is aware of the implications of his actions and the gravity of his sins but that doesn't save him from committing monstrous acts. He is half-damned from the start, from the very beginning when the three witches (real divas - I might add) enlighten him about the future; he knows in the depths of his soul what these prophecies mean. He isn't a blind villain, he hesitates before falling into the dark path while Lady Macbeth is steadfast. She is one of the external forces shaping Macbeth. She pushes him to the edge, making him question his 'man'liness - the easiest way to manipulate men as they can excuse murder and violence but draw the line at someone questioning their masculinity. Once he is long gone, damned to his ambition and lust for power, Lady Macbeth faces the truth and realizes she cannot wash the blood off her hands. The contrast between these two characters, his internal struggle versus her unwavering determination, adds to the tragic tension.

‘Heavy is the Crown’ is a phrase that suggests the burden that comes with power. As soon as Macbeth wears the crown, he gets tortured by this immense psychological weight and his rise to the throne brings out the paranoia and guilt in him. The tragedy of Macbeth’s arc lies in the fact that the crown he ruined lives for also becomes his ruin. The crown becomes the symbol of his isolation, it alienates him from his humanity and the heaviness of it weighs him down, both figuratively and literally. 

The play creates conflict for the audience as well since Macbeth remains an unusual tragic protagonist. How could an audience root for someone such as Macbeth when he willingly becomes the source of evil? Where do the 'pity' and 'fear' come when such a person obviously deserves what comes for him? He chooses to embrace the witches’ predictions; his tragic downfall is a result of both fate and his own choices. He transforms from a noble soldier to a coldly vicious villain, from a man capable of guilt and hesitation to someone irredeemable. 

So, while Macbeth certainly deserves his downfall, it is the complexity and duality of his character and his tragic awareness of the consequences of his actions that make the play and his doom profoundly tragic. He cannot run from himself, so he has to face it.