ipl-logo

Macbeth Vs Achilles

637 Words3 Pages

For as long as people have been creating stories, they have been telling the tale of heroes: larger-than-life figures whose deeds and qualities inspire awe and praise. Two of the most excellent examples of archetypal heroes are Achilles of Homer’s “The Iliad” and “Macbeth” of William Shakespeare’s tragedy of the same name. Although both of these men demonstrate qualities such as courage, honor, resilience, and so on, they do so in incompatible ways. In this essay, we will show how Achilles and Macbeth exhibit those characteristics and argue that Achilles is the archetypal hero superior of the two because of his steadfast dedication to his principles and readiness to face great adversity. Characteristic 1: Bravery Achilles embodies bravery …show more content…

His honor is best evidenced by his refusal to forsake his comrades on the battlefield, even when he had an opportunity to escape. For instance, he refuses Patroclus’s pact agreement: “Run away by all means if your heart drives you, I will not entreat you to stay for my sake”. This refusal to abandon his friend Patroclus, despite the impending danger, illustrates Achilles' unwavering commitment to honor and loyalty. An analysis of this quote reveals Achilles' prioritization of duty over personal safety, emphasizing his adherence to his principles even in the face of great risk.On the other hand, Macbeth’s concept of honor is driven by excessive ambition and declining moral rules. He expresses bad honor when he kills King Duncan, who had every right to rule Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s plot for power. Body 3: Characteristic 3: Resilience Achilles proves to be quite a strong person throughout the information. Despite facing the unbearable backdrop of the Trojan War and loss, Achilles maintains his strength to win. For example, his insistence on returning Briseis is a demonstrated character of resilience: “Even as Apollo takes away my Chryseis, I shall take your fair cheeked Briseis, your war prize”. Achilles' determination to reclaim Briseis, despite the gods' interference, showcases his resilience in the face of adversity. An analysis of this quote reveals Achilles' refusal to be defeated by circumstances beyond his control, highlighting his unwavering resolve to assert his agency and uphold his honor. In contrast, Macbeth succumbs to remorse and guilt, losing all his spirits and succumbing to guilt. Therefore, he maintains a trace of madness, and then his death

Show More
Related
967 Words | 4 Pages

McMurphy. Achilles thinks he is invincible, much like McMurphy, and wants to be remembered. Achilles refuses to compromise his values, even for his own people, simply because his honour was insulted. Due to Achilles’ arrogance, his cousin, Patroklos, was killed when taking his place in battle. Achilles ignored the possible consequences that could come with his arrogance, relating back to McMurphy.

Read More
319 Words | 2 Pages

Heroes have resurfaced countless times throughout history in literature, hearsay, and the oral tradition. Although they might have different adventures and adversaries, heroes almost always share two defining characteristics. Typically, heroes that exist in literature must be willing to sacrifice something special in order to achieve the greater good, and they must end up victorious by defeating the antagonist or succeed in their quests, missions, and objectives. The victory should result from the defeat of a dastardly villain or occur despite formidable odds. Odysseus, the hero in the Odyssey, provides an excellent classical example.

Read More
143 Words | 1 Pages

War brings out the best in Homer’s heroes, as they tap previously unknown reserves of strength, courage, and loyalty. But war also can bring out the worst in men. The theme of honor and masculinity is very strong that it overshadows the barbarity and unavoidable death or war. If they don’t battle it is considered an insult to masculinity. Achilles is driven by pride, anger and grief which leads him to go to war.

Read More
192 Words | 1 Pages

Achilles’ actions on the battlefield or lack thereof portrays the hero’s absence of honor. Selfishly withdrawing himself from battle, Achilles allows his anger towards the king of the Argives to develop: “But Achilles abode at his ships nursed his anger. He went not to the honourable assembly, and sailed not forth to fight, but gnawed at his own heart”(10). Fighting the Trojans and leading the Myrmidons to sack Troy would have been the honorable thing to do, but instead Achilles lets his pride take over his actions and sulks in his ship in spite of Agamemnon. After Agamemnon offers Achilles many gifts as an apology when he sends an embassy to Achilles, Achilles responds,”[Y]ou have spoken much to my liking, but my blood boils when I think it

Read More
950 Words | 4 Pages

The pursuit of glory that dictates their actions and structures ideologies. This analysis will compare Disney’s Hercules to the classical Greek heroism by examining the two quintessential elements that defines classical hero archetypes in mythology while drawing parallels with Campbell’s

Read More
848 Words | 4 Pages

To fight for an individual’s country was a noble deed. However, in Macbeth’s case, it becomes a symbol of guilt and discomfort. In the beginning, Macbeth is a revered soldier and a confident nobleman but after murdering Duncan, he experiences a change in character, becoming uncomfortable and paranoid for committing such a horrible crime.

Read More
482 Words | 2 Pages

In Book 18, Achilles' anger towards Agamemnon leads him to withdraw from battle, causing shame in his reputation. " The best man, the greatest warrior by far, was kept back from the fighting - his heart was heavy with anger." (Book 18, Lines 123-125) This passage illustrates the importance of reputation as it affects Achilles' honor and standing in society. The literary element of characterization is used to emphasize Achilles' reputation as a great warrior.

Read More
686 Words | 3 Pages

Homer’s epic poem The Iliad tells the story of the part-god Greek hero Achilles. There are many devices the author uses to illuminate the characters and the theme of the story. One such device utilized in the poem is parallelism, which highlights Achilles’ rise and fall from honor, and his eventual return to his honorable ways. At the start of the poem, Achilles is portrayed as the strongest, most honorable man in the Greek army.

Read More
1666 Words | 7 Pages

“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion. (Alexander the Great). ” This quote is talking about how a group is only as good as its leader. In addition, Alexander the Great points out that even if the followers are weak, like an army of sheep, the right leader, the lion, can accomplish anything.

Read More
615 Words | 3 Pages

Ra’kim Christopher Professor Delgado ENG 101 – 1403 15 March 2016 ------------------- Erich Fromm is the author of “Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem.” According to him, “many can accept obedience because it is good, and detest disobedience because it is bad.” According to Fromm, they’re two types of consciences the “authoritarian conscience” and the “humanistic conscience”.

Read More
1562 Words | 7 Pages

Macbeth clearly distinguished himself as a great warrior, but his battlefield heroics did not carry over into heroic behavior off the battlefield. It is ironic that he, who had defended Duncan from traitors colluding with Irish and Norwegian armies, himself harbored traitorous thoughts. As he was contemplating assassinating Duncan, Macbeth was having trouble in justifying what he was about to do. “I am his kinsman and his subject, / Strong both against the

Read More
1383 Words | 6 Pages

“This will be the greatest war the world has ever seen. We need the greatest warrior.” King Agamemnon is informed of this during preparations for war in the movie adaptation of the famous Trojan War. Trojan princes, Paris and Hector, arrive in Sparta to begin peace talks, yet the young prince Paris falls in love with the beautiful Queen of Sparta. Helen reveals her disdain for the King and agrees to flee leave with Paris to Troy, despite the war such an action would bring.

Read More
1570 Words | 7 Pages

In the epic poem, the Iliad written by Homer, several characters taking part in the warfare between the Achaeans and the Trojans are portrayed as embodying the heroic code of courage, physical strength, leadership, arete of value of honour, and the acceptance of fate. The heroic code is illustrated by the actions of the Trojan prince, Hector and the Achaeans strongest warrior, Achilles. Both of these characters display the Greek’s image of a hero, and can also let the reader discern what the society admires, looks up to and aspires to in its heroes. There are also characters who fail to be heroic, such as the Trojan “vivid and beautiful” prince, Paris. These characters in the Iliad illustrate the qualities that Ancient Greek society values.

Read More
563 Words | 3 Pages

This direct quote said by Macbeth, shows his selfish ambition and proves that he does not care about anybody other than himself. Macbeth is also stating within this quote that he has walked so far into a river of blood that even if he tried stopping now, it would be easier for him to keep killing people than to become a good person again. Based on his actions, Macbeth has shown that he has quickly transitioned from good to evil and that he does not have any remorse for all the killing that he has done.

Read More
1512 Words | 7 Pages

These characteristics are traced in multiple contexts, and it creates an extensive picture of the character. Honor, pride, loyalty, courage, and vengefulness are the fundamental traits of Achilles’ character that determine his behavior and manifest themselves in his speech and actions. Pride and honor are the fundamental characteristic of Achilles, and there are several key episodes that can prove it. From the very beginning of the poem, one can see that Achilles is very sensitive when it comes to honor and reputation. The conflict with Agamemnon related to Chryseis, who was taken as a slave, is the turning point.

Read More

More about Macbeth Vs Achilles

Open Document