Similarities Between Macbeth And The Iliad

Throughout The Iliad as well as Macbeth, murder, death, and guilt for these actions are much different, but also similar in some ways. I will focus my paper on comparing and contrasting these two books broadly. Specifically on the ways in which murder, death, and the guilt that comes along with these is handled and addressed. Macbeth (which is written by Shakespeare) was set during the 11th century in Scotland, while the Iliad (written by Homer) was set in 760 BC during the Trojan War. The ways at which The Iliad handles killing, death, and guilt for these things is similar and different to Macbeth

Macbeth was set in Scotland famously known for always having dark, rainy weather, this darkness is used to set the stage for all the death, murder,

and eventually guilt that is seen throughout the play. The metaphor of darkness is seen very often throughout the play, it is said in the play, “Let not light see my dark and deep desires.”(Shakespeare) this demonstrates the use of dark imagery in the play. Also the metaphor of un washable blood is used to demonstrate the guilt, and the damnation that lady Macbeth faces because of her help in the killing of Duncan. Lady Macbeth says, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?”

The Iliad is set during the biggest bloodiest war in all of Greek mythology.

In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The fact that the story of the Iliad was set during fortels and reveals that there is lots of killing and murder. The mythical Greek hero, Achilles was known for being a brutal soldier and warrior. He demonstrated this animalosity when he slayed the Trojan hero Hector. Not only did he kill him but he dragged his body around the streets of Troy. The Iliad says, “The dust rose from Hector as he was being dragged along, his dark hair flew all abroad, and his head once so comely was laid low on earth.”(Homer) This shows Achilles’ lack of mercy and his brutality towards his enemy, the Trojan.

These two settings and authors are very similar and different. The time periods are over a millennium apart. Also Macbeth is set during prosperity and peace, while the Iliad is set during a time of war and death. These two stories start off very different but as the play and book, unravel death, murder, and a lack of guilt for these things are seen clearly. This demonstrates that setting does not always directly translate to the action that will occur in the future. The lighting or setting can act as a motif to set the whole

book.

In the Iliad Achilles feels no guilt for killing and brutally slaughtering many. The Iliad says, “Why should this man suffer when he is guiltless.”(Homer) This demonstrates that Achilles has no guilt in a situation where it is normal to feel guilt. This re forces the fact that Achilles is a killing, murdering machine has no feelings for the actions he does. He not only killed Hector, but he dragged his corpse around the mourning streets of troy. The Iliad says, “The dust rose from Hector as he was being dragged along, his dark hair flew all abroad, and his head once so comely was laid low on earth, for Jove had now delivered him into the hands of his foes to do him outrage in his own land.”(Homer) This shows that Achilles (the hero) takes pleasure in disgracing the dead corpse of the Trojan hero Hector.

In contrast, Macbeth felt major guilt for killing Duncan and many others. This reveals that Macbeth has a conscious, and convictions about murder. Lady Macbeth felt guilty for helping her husband kill many innocent men, women, and children. When the guilt hits her at the end of the play, she starts weeping. She gets frustrated because she starts to hallucinate seeing metaphorical spots of blood on her hand. She says, “Out, damned spot! out, I say!”(Shakespeare) Macbeth was so guilty and scared of being damned he was unable to say aman. The text says, “But wherefore could not I pronounce 'Amen'? I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen' Stuck in my throat.”(Shakespeare) This shows not only the earthly guilt that Macbeth feels, but the spiritual damnation he knows that is in store for him. In his case the more people he murdered the more guilt he felt.

The way that Macbeth handles or deals with the guilt he feels is enormously different than the way Achilles deals with it. As the end of the play comes into sight we see a deep sense of fear for and awareness of damnation, coming from Macbeth and his wife. The play says, “But in these cases We still have judgment here, that we but teach Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return To plague th' inventor.”(Shakespeare) This reveals that Macbeth is terrified that his actions will come back to haunt him. In contrast Achilles doesn’t care because the Gods instructed him to kill all those Trojans. Therefore (in this context) it’s completely justified that Achilles killed so many Trojan warriors including the famous Hector. The Iliad say, “Achilles had slaughtered in honour of Patroclus.”(Homer) This quite clearly depicts Achilles as a killing machine. The text says that he slaughtered in honour of his dead comrade patroclus.

Macbeth is solely motivated and driven by his ambition for worldly power and later in the play, covering up his tracks to stay out of trouble. In contrast in the Iliad, Achilles is out for revenge, glory, and to prove that his people need him and must give him the respect that he believes he deserves. Macbeth says, “I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself And falls on the other.”(Shakespeare) This is said during Macbeth’s famous soliloquy, it means that the only thing that is motivating him to kill the king Duncan is his ambition and hunger for power. Achilles on the other hand is driven and motivated by glory, revenge, and one of the most powerful emotions a human being can feel, rage. Achilles says, “when your men fall dying by the murderous hand of Hector, you shall not know how to help them, and shall rend your heart with rage.”(Homer) Achilles is commanding his men to take their rage out on the Trojans.

The way that these two narratives and more specifically these two main characters handle killing and murder are not applicable to our everyday lives, but the concept of guilt and condemnation is completely relatable to us. The way that Achilles handled murder was expected because he was a war hero, he knew exactly what he was fighting and striving for so anyone standing in his way had to be taken out of his way. The Iliad says, “Why should this man suffer when he is guiltless?”(Homer) In contrast Macbeth feels tremendous guilt for his actions. He not only fears earthly punishments but his mind is on damnation and Hell, this reflects his brokenness and we can relate this on a daily basis. Our minds need to constantly be on what’s to come and where we will be in a century.