Macbeth and Hamlet Tragedies Essay - 576 Words

At a time for war, Both Hamlet and Macbeth are considered tragedies and both main characters are considered tragic heroes. There are many differences and similarities. For one, both have somewhat of a psychotic, mental breakdown at some point of the story. Hamlet is just acting crazy to deceive Claudius, while Macbeth has truly gone mad in his lust for power and selfish motives. Both are to become Royalty, with the only exception that Hamlet does it through dishonorable means. â€Å"For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see† Macbeth (1.4 57-60). Hamlet is an automatic heir to the throne if his uncle dies. A†¦show more content†¦As Horatio puts it, â€Å"Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.† Hamlet (5.2 97-98). On the other hand, even though he dies in battle on the ba ttle field, Macbeth isn’t able to die honorably, because of all the lives he has taken, purely for his own potential need. So says Macduff as he enters with Macbeth’s head. â€Å"Hail, King! for so thou art. Behold where stands Th’ usurper’s cursà ¨d head. The time is free. I see thee compassed with thy kingdom’s pearl,† Macbeth (5.8 65-67) When it comes to decision making, Hamlet takes a long time to finally decide to seek the revenge he promised his deceased fathers ghost. He tends to over think matters and oftentimes complicate them more than necessary. â€Å"Of thinking too precisely on th’ event (A thought which, quartered, hath but one part wisdom And ever three parts coward), I do not know Why yet I live to say â€Å"This thing’s to do,† Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means To do’t† Hamlet (4.4 43-49) In contrast, Macbeth acts very quickly and rashly. He doesn’t think about what he does, before he does it, and is manipulated easily. Finally, when it came down to killing someone, in both of the plays, there were moral dilemmas preventing both of the killers from performing the evil task they so closely guarded. During Hamlets time period, revenge was condemned amongst society; which preventedShow MoreRelatedHamlet and Macbeth Compared as Aristotelian Traged ies Essay1732 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle’s Poetics is often considered the blueprint to a successful tragedy; his outline has been used for hundreds of years. Aristotle defines a tragedy as â€Å"an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude†¦ in the form of an action, not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions† (House 82). Aristotle believed that the most important part of a strong tragedy was the plot, and from that, the other elements such as character,Read MoreEssay on Hamlet and Macbeth Analyzed as Aristotelian Tragedies1839 Words   |  8 Pageswritten tragedy; his methods have been used for centuries. Aristotle defines a tragedy as â€Å"an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude†¦ in the form of an action, not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions† (House, 82). The philosopher believes the plot to be the most vital aspect of a tragedy, thus all other parts such as character, diction, and thought stem from the plot. Aristotle affirms, â€Å"the principle of tragedy – theRead MoreMental Insanity In Macbeth And Hamlet By William Shakespeare952 Words   |  4 Pagesinsanity to contrast characters in his tragedies. Shakespeare often uses stress as a trigger to spiral his characters into this state of mind. 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