Macbeth And Bathsheba Character Analysis

A famous eighties band said “...right till the end friends will be friends” (Queen). Well, that is not the case for King David and Macbeth. Their bond with their considerably most loyal friends does not last for long. Both King David and Macbeth murder their friends. Both were kings at the time when they committed such a crime. Both will later experience a karma-like situation. It would be valid to say that Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a mere reflection of the story of David and Bathsheba. The similarities between the two stories do not end from there. The story of Bathsheba and Macbeth both have themes such as camaraderie, greed, and betrayal. Surprisingly the three themes appear in both stories in that order.

The corresponding characters of Macbeth and Banquo could be considerably David and Uriah. Both sets of characters are experienced in warfare and elaborate the theme of camaraderie. Many theological experts say that Uriah was “a soldier” who served “in a foreign army” (Zapotoski). This shows how dedicated Uriah was to David. He

When Macbeth commits his betrayal, against Banquo, Macbeth hires other people to do his dirty work, similarly to how David commits his betrayal against Uriah. After Banquo and his son depart, Macbeth says, “Banquo, thy soul’s flight, if it find heaven, must find it out tonight” (Shakespeare 843). Not only does the statement confirm that Macbeth is infected with greed, but the quote affirms that his bond with Banquo has come to an end. In simple, modern terms, Macbeth is bidding farewell to Banquo. Heaven, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a “place of the Deity and the blessed dead” (Merriam-Webster). Macbeth is bidding Banquo farewell because he is planning to kill him. Macbeth according to this quote, shows no form of empathy, “his power meant more than his friendship” (Cole). That goes the same for King David, his sexual desires meant more than his relationship with