Similarities Between Macbeth And The Iliad

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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, …show more content…

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

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