Similarities Between Genesis And Macbeth

Genesis vs. MacBeth

Since the beginning of time, people have faced the consequences of temptation and greed. These consequences can be seen in two popular stories, Genesis and MacBeth. Both stories tell of the punishments and regret felt by those who have fallen into temptation and become greedy individuals. Because of the vast similarities between MacBeth and Genesis, people often wonder if Shakespeare, the author of MacBeth, was inspired by the Bible. To understand why an individual may think Shakespeare stole from the Bible, it is important to comprehend the extent of the similarities between MacBeth and Genesis. In Genesis, the readers are introduced to a serpent, along with Adam and Eve. It is common knowledge that God had forbidden Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge without a solid explanation. While Eve is away from her husband, the serpent approaches her and immediately begins convincing her to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. Despite being told not to, Eve chose to do as the serpent said and ate from the tree. Eve collects fruit from the tree and returns to her husband, convincing him to eat the fruit as well. In this story, Adam is tempted by his wife Eve, just as MacBeth is tempted by his wife Lady MacBeth. In act one scene seven of MacBeth, Lady MacBeth tempts MacBeth by telling him he isn’t man enough saying “What beast was't then that made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man.” Therefore,

Did Shakespeare intentionally convey select themes similar to Genesis, or was it accidental? Whether or not you believe Shakespeare paralleled Genesis and Macbeth, remember there’s a lot more to both stories that you will have to explore in order to properly make your final