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Shakespeare incorporates similarities in his plays, specifically in the plays of The Tempest and Macbeth; the similarities are the betrayals of the rightful royals, the characteristics of the betrayers, the supernatural elements, and the soliloquies of the main characters. Both Prospero and Duncan are admirable men who are overthrown by someone close to them who covets power. Antonio and Macbeth are the two betrayers who were once praiseworthy men but have become dishonest and destructive. There are two different supernatural elements present in the plays. Prospero's spirits are controlled by Prospero and are, for the most part, not harmful, whereas the weird sisters, in a sense, control Macbeth and intend to do much harm. Finally, the speeches of Prospero and Macbeth, specifically the "life" speech and the "bloody dagger" speech, are similar in that the mindset of the speakers is the finality of life. These parallels are the main comparisons between Macbeth and The Tempest.
The rightful royal in The Tempest is Prospero. Prospero is the rightful Duke of Milan. He is as an admirable and honest man, which is how the people of Milan saw him. The only problem with his personality is his pursuit for knowledge. During his Dukedom, he was constantly seeking to advance his education. He locked himself up with his books and left the political aspects of his position to be handled by his brother, Antonio. He trusted Antonio completely and felt that he would do well with the power Prospero was granting him. Antonio, however, was not the man Prospero thought he was. Antonio, with the help of Alonso, the King of Naples, plotted an uprising against Prospero and stole his Dukedom. The reader only learns of this event through the account of Prospero, who is telling the story to his daughter, Miranda. He explains, "I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated to closeness and the bettering of my mind with that which, but by being so retir'd, o'erprized all popular rate, in my false brother awak'd an evil nature, and my trust, like a good parent, did beget of him a falsehood in its contrary, as great as my trust was" (I, ii, 8-6). Prospero is now stranded on the island that is the setting of the play. He has, however, had ample time to reflect on the incident that placed him in his current position. He was stripped of his power over Milan, but he now has a newly developed power over the people, creatures and spirits that inhabit the island (Cahn ). Prospero uses this new power to plot revenge against his brother so that his brother can suffer the same fate he did a dishonorable fall from power. Prospero's need to be in control of everything around him is a direct result of the fact that his power was stolen from him all those years ago. He needs to feel that he has authority and that everything depends on him. He does not want to let go of the power the way he once did (4).
Duncan, the King of Scotland, is the wronged royalty in Macbeth. Duncan is made vulnerable to the attack that eventually befalls him by his sense of unending trust and friendship. At the beginning of the play, Duncan speaks of the previous Thane of Cawdor, who has just been executed for being identified as a traitor. He says, "He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust." Duncan is feeling betrayed and wishes to be near the people he is closest to. This event, however, does not rouse suspicions in Duncan's mind about the other people that he trusts in his life. As he approaches Macbeth's castle, where Macbeth and his wife plan to murder him that night, he says, "This castle hath a pleasant seat, the air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto our gentle senses" (I, vi, 1-). This statement, of course, is dripping with dramatic irony, because the audience knows that this castle that he is approaching is not a pleasant one for him. It is the site of his doom. Duncan remains blind throughout the rest of his life to the fact that he should monitor those that he trusts, for they are not as trustworthy as they seem.
Both Prospero and Duncan are honorable men who are too trusting for their own good. Prospero places too much trust in his brother, Antonio, and Duncan places too much trust in his cousin, Macbeth. They are both betrayed because they placed themselves in a vulnerable situation. The difference between the two situations is that Duncan is killed when Macbeth betrays him. He does not have the chance to plot revenge against his wrongdoer. Prospero, however, is only exiled. He, therefore, has ample time to reflect on what has been done to him and what he can do to make it right. He takes the time to plot revenge on his brother and, ultimately, he regains his position as Duke, which Duncan is never allowed to do.
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Antonio is the betrayer in The Tempest and is the brother of Prospero, whom he betrays. As Duke, Prospero trusted Antonio more than anyone. They were kin, after all, and Prospero was a trusting man. When Prospero decided to take some time away from his Dukedom to educate himself further, he entrusted Antonio with the state affairs. Antonio, however, began to plot against his brother immediately. He enlisted the help of Alonso, the King of Naples. Together they planned to kill Prospero and place Antonio in his position. During the overthrow of Prospero, Prospero is placed on a small, worthless boat, on which Antonio meant for Prospero and Miranda to be set away in and die. Gonzalo, the man appointed to see to Prospero's death, took pity on Prospero and his daughter, and he provided them with some bare necessities on the boat. Prospero thinks highly of Gonzalo when he says, "…Some food we had and some fresh water that a noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo, out of his charity, being then appointed master of this design, did give us, with rich garments, linens, stuffs and necessaries, which since have steaded much…" (I, i, 87-). Antonio never shows one sign of remorse for his actions. He even agrees to help Sebastian in a new plot to overthrow Alonso, his old partner. The usurpation of power is the key element of Antonio's personality (Fergusson 06). Antonio explains to Sebastian why this is a good idea. He tells Sebastian that he once stole power from his brother and he now lives an enjoyable life. Sebastian asks him about his conscience and he says, "Ay, sir; where lies that? If twere a kibe, twould put me to my slipper but I feel not this deity in my bosom twenty consciences, that stand twixt me and Milan, candied be they and melt ere they molest" (II, i, 76-80). Antonio blatantly admits that he has no conscience. He has not thought twice about his decision to act against his brother. He believes that he lives beyond ethical restraint ("Literature…" 16). Antonio is the one villain in all of the Shakespearean plays that does not receive punishment for his earlier actions. He is, in fact, forgiven for what he did by Prospero. At the end of the play, however, Antonio leaves the stage without showing sign of regret, sorrow, or any emotion at all. He leaves the reader wondering if he has developed a conscience or if he is still plotting a later revolt.In Macbeth, it is the main character that betrays his loved one in an effort to gain his power. Macbeth, with the help of his wife, Lady Macbeth, plots, within the time span of a day, to kill Duncan and frame his guards for the murder. The strange aspect of this plot, however, is that Macbeth is hesitant about whether he should go through with the plan or not. He argues with himself many times throughout the play, both before and after the murder takes place. His conscience is forever with him. Macbeth reflects on the consequences that his actions will bring and the fact that he still has a choice. He says, "But in these cases we still have judgement here; that we but teach bloody instructions, which being taught, return to plague the inventor this even-handed justice commends the ingredients of our poisen'd chalice to our own lips" (I, vii, 6-11). Macbeth realizes that, by committing this murder, he will be cursed and that it will surely come back to haunt him. At this point, he is very apprehensive. Lady Macbeth manages to persuade Macbeth into committing the murder by questioning his manhood. She says to him, "They have made themselves, and that their fitness does now unmake you. I have given suck, and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, and dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this" (I, vii, 5-5). She is trying to tell Macbeth that she sees herself as more manly and courageous than he at this moment. In her eyes, he is being cowardly and he needs to realize that his decision does not just affect him, but her as well. Macbeth goes through with the murder, but he does not stop the ongoing argument with himself over whether what he did was right or not (Enright 15). He is haunted by the murder just as he feared. In the end of the play, he is justly taken away from his noble position, for he did not gain the title nobly, nor does he deserve to be considered a dignified man.Antonio and Macbeth are both censurable villains in The Tempest and Macbeth. The difference between the two is the presence of a conscience. Antonio shows no signs of having a conscience and openly admits that he does not regret what he did. Macbeth, however, bickers with his conscience over the murder. He feels the full effects of having an active conscience. He cannot brush off the fact that he murdered his cousin simply because other people and beings made him do it. His external influences only nudged him to do something that he already had in mind (14). It does not matter that others wanted him to commit the murder because he ultimately would have gone through with the plan whether someone told him to or not. The supernatural power that is present in The Tempest is that of the spirits. The main spirit in The Tempest is Ariel, who is Prospero's servant. Ariel is the one who conjures up the illusion of a tempest at sea, separates the parties that were on the boat, puts the mariners on the boat into a deep sleep, and does all other bidding that Prospero orders. There are also other spirits that Prospero calls on in Act III to bless the union of Miranda and Ferdinand, Alonso's son. He calls upon Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, Juno, the Queen of gods, and Ceres, goddess of agriculture. These goddesses perform a ceremony to bless the couple in their marriage. Prospero is in control of all of these spirits. They listen to him and do as he pleases. Their duties include harmless deeds that Prospero wants done in order to teach his betrayers and their company a lesson. Prospero does not intend to use his magical power over the spirits to induce injury. He asks Ariel, after the passengers of the boat have been placed strategically on the island, if they are all safe, and Ariel replies, "Not a hair perish'd; on their sustaining garments not a blemish, but fresher than before..." (I, ii, 54-56). Prospero makes it obvious that his intention is not to be evil himself, but to cleanse the new inhabitants of his island of the evil that currently exists in them ("The Tempest" 47). The supernatural element existent in Macbeth is the witches. There are three witches that appear immediately at the beginning of the play. They are eerie beings, and, when they appear, there is thunder and lightning, which instills a fearful element in the reader. Macbeth has no control over these characters. It is certain that the witches represent evil, but it is unclear what the extent of that evil is. Many believe that they may be devils or demons in the form of witches ("Macbeth" 57). They have the ability to vanish, invoke storms, and fly. They are not controlled by magic, but by evil. The witches, in a sense, have some control over Macbeth. They do not control his every move, but they give him information and ideas that persuade him to act a certain way. The witches, in their first meeting with Macbeth and Banquo, say to Banquo "Hail! Hail! Hail! Lesser than Macbeth, and greater, Not so happy, yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none…" (I, iii, 6-67). This prediction that Banquo's descendants will be Kings later frightens Macbeth, who has taken the Kingship from Duncan. Macbeth, in response to his fears, orders the death of Banquo and his son, Fleance, who escapes the murderers. When Macbeth visits the witches the second time, they conjure up three apparitions. The first apparition, an armed head, tells Macbeth, " …beware Macduff; beware the Thane of Fife…" (IV, ii, 4-5). The second apparition, a bloody child, tells Macbeth, "Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth" (IV, i, 4-44). Macbeth is afraid, at first, that Macduff could overthrow him, until he hears the second apparition that says no one that was born of a woman shall hurt him. He later finds out, however, that Macduff was born by cesarean birth. Macbeth still ignores the innuendo, but he sinks to his moral low and orders the murder of Macduff's wife and children (Cahn ). In the end, the witches and apparitions turn out to have been correct in all of their prophecies, which is partly due to the fact that these prophecies were told to Macbeth, and Macbeth, in turn, set in motion a sequence of events that led to the expected outcome. The supernatural elements in The Tempest and Macbeth share only one similarity, which is that they are both groups of characters that are known to a limited number of people. The biggest differences between the two are their intentions and their nature. The spirits intend to do no harm in following Prospero's orders. The witches, on the other hand, intend to do much harm by persuading Macbeth to make certain decisions. The nature of the spirits is one of peace and blessing, whereas the nature of the witches is evil, pure and simple.
In Act IV of The Tempest, Prospero speaks about life and its finality. In his soliloquy, Prospero is beginning to recognize his own mortality. Throughout the play, his mind has been set on revenge and power. Now that he has almost achieved what he set out to do, Prospero looks back on life and sees it as a dream. He says, while speaking to Ferdinand and Miranda, "…like the baseless fabric of this vision, the cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, the solemn temples, the great globe itself, ye all which it inherit, shall dissolve and, like this insubstantial pageant faded, leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep" (IV, i, 16-174). Prospero sees the world as dream-like; though it may seem beautiful and perfect, the wonders of the world will someday disappear. Every life comes to an end with a person drifting into an endless sleep, or death. Prospero's thought is that, while people are awake, their dreams are endless, but, as they drift away and die, their dreams and the world around them fade away as well. To Prospero, death is not a new beginning or a new chance; it is an ending to a very long dream (Bloom 108).
Macbeth's "bloody dagger" soliloquy occurs just before he goes to kill Duncan. Macbeth sees a bloody dagger hanging in the air in front of him. He tries to grasp it, but he cannot because it is not real. It is an illusion that has been created by his mind. The dagger is beckoning him to commit murder. Since this dagger is a figment of his own imagination, it is actually Macbeth's own mind telling him to proceed (154). Macbeth speaks of dreams in his soliloquy when he says, "Now o'er the one-half world nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse the curtain'd sleep…" (I, vii, 5-54). Macbeth sees dreams as unfavorable. They are something that disturbs one's sleep. Macbeth is speaking in a pessimistic tone. He cannot find hope in the world, nor can he find a reason not to commit this crime. He, therefore, continues on with his plan to kill Duncan. At the end of his soliloquy, Macbeth hears a bell ringing and says, "I go, and it is done; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell" (I, vii, 65-67). Although Macbeth has made it clear that he can find no hope in the world, he makes reference to an afterlife, which shows that he believes there is a reward or punishment given to everyone as they pass on to a new world.
The soliloquies of Prospero and Macbeth are similar in that they both mention their ideas of dreams and life. Prospero states that dreams are what the world is made of. People are constantly dreaming while they are awake, but, as they fall asleep and die, their dreams and lives fade. Macbeth states that dreams are "wicked" and interfere with sleep. In his view, dreams are not manifested while one is awake, and, as a person dies, they are sent on to an afterlife. Prospero's view of life is positive, while his view of death is negative. Macbeth's view of life is negative, whereas his view of death is more positive.
All in all, the plays of The Tempest and Macbeth share interesting similarities. Both works possess a character who has been betrayed by someone close to them. Both works portray a villain who is cruel and uncompassionate. Supernatural beings are present in each of the plays. Finally, the main characters of the two plays, Prospero and Macbeth, examine their ideas of the true meanings of life and death. Although Shakespeare wrote The Tempest and Macbeth in different time periods and with different mindsets, the reader is left with the discovery of several resemblances in the plays. Bloom, Harold, ed. William Shakespeare, The Tragedies.
New York Chelsea House Publishers, 185.Cahn, Victor. The Plays of Shakespeare, A Thematic Guide.
Westport, CT Greenwood Press, 001.Enright, D.J. Shakespeare and The Students.
New York Schocken Books, 170.Fergusson, Francis. Shakespeare The Pattern in His Carpet.
New York Delacorte Press, 170."Macbeth." Shakespeare for Students. 1 ed.Moss, Joyce, and George Wilson. Literature and Its Times. Vol. 1.
Detroit, MI Gale, 17."The Tempest." Shakespeare for Students, Book II. 17 ed.
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