Hamlet Vs Macbeth

925 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: ‘The role of Claudius in Shakespeare’s the tragedy of Hamlet has traditionally been affixed with the label of villain, coupled with a presumption of malice

One of the most influential writers of the 16th century, whom students continue to learn about in school is none other than William Shakespeare. Two of Shakespeare’s most famous works are Hamlet and Macbeth. Although they were written almost 20 years apart, there are many similarities and differences to compare between the two popular stories. A mindful examination is best achieved by comparing and contrasting characters themes, language, social issues, supernatural, movie adaptations, and endings of Hamlet and Macbeth. There are many characters in both Hamlet and Macbeth that share similar traits, motives and experiences. Both plays are named after the main characters, Young Hamlet and Macbeth. Hamlet seems to overthink a lot, making sure …show more content…

In Hamlet, King Hamlet is betrayed by his own brother Claudius, so Claudius can become king. In Macbeth, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth invite King Duncan into their home and murders him while he sleeps.

The type of language used in Hamlet and Macbeth are very similar. Shakespeare has a very distinct style of writing so both plays are similar in the words used. The use of puns and irony are very prominent in both plays.

Social Issues

Supernatural events play a huge role in both Hamlet and Macbeth. Both plays begin with the visitation of a supernatural character(s). In Hamlet, the ghost of King Hamlet shows up to the castle to Marcellus, Horatio and Barnardo. In Macbeth, the 3 witches enter talking about Macbeth and later telling him he will be king. Although in Hamlet, Hamlet tries to show the ghost to Gertrude and explain but Gertrude cannot see the ghost and thinks Hamlet is crazy. On the other hand in Macbeth, anyone and everyone can see the witches. Both the ghost and the witches come to give the main characters important information. The ghost (King Hamlet) tells Hamlet that Claudius had murdered him. “Now, Hamlet, hear. 'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forgèd process of my death Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown.”. (Act 1, Scene 5, Page 2) King Hamlet wants his son Hamlet to seek revenge on Claudius for killing him. The witches tell Macbeth that he is going to be King. “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis!” “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!” “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (Act 1, Scene 3, Page 3) This leads Macbeth to go and kill a bunch of people to get the

Show More
Related

  • Sweeney Todd And Hamlet Comparison

    1215 Words  | 3 Pages

    The most prominent character parallel between the two works is that of Prince Hamlet and Sweeney Todd.  They have similar motives and plans to reach their

    Read More

  • Lion King vs Hamlet

    1136 Words  | 3 Pages

    The corresponding characters shared a number of similarities, but it was the ways in which they were different that determined their fate and that of the kingdom. In Hamlet, the prince is Hamlet. He is deeply grieving his father’s death. He is angry because he believes that everyone has already forgotten how great of a king his father was. Hamlet does not know for sure who is responsible for his father’s death, but he suspects Claudius, who is his uncle and the new king.

    Read More

  • Compare Much Ado About Nothing And Hamlet

    1429 Words  | 3 Pages

    Similarly, both plays use speech and dialogue to develop characters (“Hamlet.”; “Much Ado About Nothing Essay.”). For instance, in Much Ado About Nothing the characters use witty language. In regard to this, “I wish my horse moved as fast as your mouth and was as tireless. That’s it—I’m done.” (Crowther 12). Likewise, in Hamlet, characters use long speeches and soliloquy. For example, “He killed my father in the prime of his life without thought to his afterlife, which does not appear to be so good. Not now, sword. We will wait until he is drunk or in rage or in his incestuous bed. Perhaps we will kill him while is gambling, swearing, or some other sinful act for which there is no forgiveness.” (Shakespeare 106). By way of contrast, only Hamlet uses actions as a method of characterization ("Hamlet."). For example, Claudius murdered his brother and ascended himself to the throne of Denmark, “The poison worked quickly and my body became crusty with death, and I was not given the opportunity to confess my sins.” (Shakespeare 37). Additionally, Hamlet pretends to acts insane, he delay’s avenging his father’s death, and conversely Laertes takes direct action to avenge his father’s death

    Read More

  • The Beginnings and Endings of Machiavellian Kings

    1007 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare's Macbeth shows similarities to Richard III of England in his ambition and Machiavellians deeds, but their nature sets them apart. In the end, they are seen as similar tyrants in the way their countries reacted to their kingships. Despite the similarities, they both have had a very different path that led to their Ambition. Because of their natures, one was a victim of fate, the other was a victim of his own pessimism. These Machiavellian characters take different paths to a parallel end.

    Read More

  • Hamlet the Play and the Movie

    554 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a story about a king that was murdered by his brother and the prince has been asked by his father?s ghost to avenge his murder. The original story line has been altered a few times since it has been written. The original Hamlet the play and the altered Hamlet the movie are shown differently in many different ways. Hamlet the movie with Mel Gibson shows different things than the play, but there are three major differences between the two. The three major differences are in the way both of the productions start out, differences in the scene that the players put on a play, and differences in the way the productions end.

    Read More

  • Laertes and Fortinbras as Foils for Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1639 Words  | 4 Pages

    The major foil for Hamlet is Laertes, the son of Polonius. The most obvious similarity is that they are both young men. They also come from relatively similar backgrounds, a Danish aristocratic upbringing. They also both have some college education. This leads us to another similarity; [Semicolons vs. colons] they both have the ability to use logical and rational reasoning. However, they do differ on their applications of logical reasoning.

    Read More

  • Comparison of Characters and The Definition of a Hero

    911 Words  | 2 Pages

    To begin with comparisons, of which there are many, one must start with the most obvious similarity, that being that Hamlet and Prospero have both been slighted in some way. In Hamlet's case, his father has been murdered by his uncle. Hamlet’s own father tells him, “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/ Now wears his crown.”(Hamlet, Act one, Scene Five, Lines 44-45). In Prospero's case, his dukedom was taken from him by his brother Antonio with the help of Alonso. Another similarity is the way that both of them think logically before doing a rash act. They do not simply jump into a situation with swords blazing; rather they look towards calculated and logical means of exacting their revenge. Hamlet uses a play in order to confirm his father's murder and Sydney Lanier explains, "Here in Hamlet the motive of the anti-masque is quite clear: it is to entrap the King's conscience into a clear betrayal of his guilt in murdering his brother and us...

    Read More

  • Hamlet Movie Vs Play

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    The most obvious similarity is the characters. The main characters are seen in both the play and movie. A lot of the minor characters do not change either. Of course, the dialogue is followed almost exactly. There are lines here and there that are cut out, but for the most part all the lines that are not cut out are the exact same. Also, the plot is the same too. In both the movie and the play, Hamlet seeks revenge on Claudius for killing his father. They play that Hamlet puts on is in both the movie and the play that proves he is trying to seek revenge. Hamlet also does not kill Claudius when he has the chance in both the movie and the play. Another similarity is that Claudius and Laertes conspire together to kill Hamlet. In both the movie and the play, Claudius poisons the drink Hamlet is supposed to drink, and Laertes poisons the sword he uses to injure Hamlet. It is made known in the movie that Claudius and Laertes conspire together when Laertes yells out that the King is to blame. The same lines are also used in the play. Laertes yells out, “Thy mother’s poisoned. I can no more. The King, the King’s to blame”

    Read More

  • Oedipus vs. Hamlet as Tragic Heroes

    1556 Words  | 4 Pages

    One thing is absolutely common between them: they are tragic heroes. They differ and relate, but one thing is certain, and that is they contain all five characteristics that define them. Tragically in the end, both men are fated to suffer for their reaming lives, which will end with their own dramatic deaths. Oedipus and Hamlet. Perhaps they are not completely different.

    Read More

  • How Power Corrupts in Macbeth

    2635 Words  | 6 Pages

    The essence of Macbeth lies not only in the fact that it is written by the universal talent William Shakespeare; the royal-conspiracy, the political unethical activity, the killin...

    Read More

  • Discrepancies and Similarities between Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth and History

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the eleventh century, an age of discordance, people quarrel over the throne and its succession. William Shakespeare, a playwright of the Renaissance, sculpts events from this era into a dramatic sequence of events. The Tragedy of Macbeth displays Macbeth, a zealous thane, and his successful homicide which results in his succession of the throne and his downfall. Each of The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare and history has discrepancies as well as similarities between its characters, settings, and plot events.

    Read More

  • Appearance and Reality in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 7th ed. New York: Longman, 1999.

    Read More

  • Essay On Human Nature In Macbeth

    857 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the early 1600’s, William Shakespeare penned an Aristotelian tragedy ‘Macbeth’ which provides his audiences both then and now with many valuable insights and perceptions into human nature. Shakespeare achieves this by cleverly employing many dramatic devices and themes within the character of ‘Macbeth’. Macbeth is depicted as an anti-hero; a noble protagonist with a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall. This tragic flaw of Macbeth’s, heavily laden with the themes of ‘fate or free will’, and ‘ambition’, is brought out by Shakespeare in his writing to present us with a character whose actions and final demise are, if not laudable, very recognisable as human failings.

    Read More

  • Similarities and Differences Between Shakespeare´s Hamlet and Macbeth

    681 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Shakespearean playwrights Macbeth and Hamlet are both very well-known tragedies. They have many things in common but are different in some ways. Both plays involve greed but the characters are different. There are some characters that have the same qualities such as Hamlet and Malcolm who both killed for revenge. Macbeth and Hamlet are different in character even though they both killed. The tragedies are the same in that many people are killed but the reasons are very different. Macbeths need for power has caused him to lose control while Hamlets need for revenge causes him to lose his own life.

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Use of the Supernatural in "Macbeth"

    858 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...he supernatural is one element in Macbeth that was used cleverly by Shakespeare to get various messages across to the audience. The messages are brought across between the lines of the plays which requires audiences to reflect critically to get the underlying meaning of his play. Shakespeare did not merely show ghosts and witches in the supernatural as a thriller, but also tied in the political and religious aspects of the society during his time.

    Read More

More about Hamlet Vs Macbeth

Open Document