Allows the reader to understand the change in character that Macbeth has undergone due to the stark contrast between his characterization at the beginning of the play and that at the end. Shakespeare also shows the change by allowing the reader to make a comparison between the characterization of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth throughout the story. Shakespeare makes the contrast so great that, after contextualizing Macbeth's behavior at the end with the entire story, the reader feels that he is not a cold tyrant but rather a tragic hero. This is because Shakespeare placed so much emphasis on his mental decline that the reader still discovers that he had many good qualities that contrast his character in the ending. Macbeth is certainly an excellent example of tragedy