Similarities Between Odysseus And Macbeth - 1357 Words

Even though they are both heroes there are many differences between Homer’s Odysseus and Shakespeares Macbeth. Theses differences come from the fact that Odysseus is an epic hero, while Macbeth is a tragic hero. Common traits of a tragic hero are the hero is of noble birth the hero possesses a tragic flaw that eventually leads to his downfall. The flaw offer has to do with excessive pride also known as hubris. On the other hand, epic heroes are larger than life and embody the values of particular society, an epic hero is superhuman. He is braver, stronger, smarter and cleverer than an ordinary man. Many times they are on a quest for something of great value to him or to his people. The tragic and the epic hero can both teach the reader†¦show more content†¦This bloody ghost of Banquo rises out of Macbeth’s conscience to avenge its death and leave Macbeth uneasy. This is viewed by the outbursts of Macbeth at his feast shouting at the ghost to never shake thy gor y locks at him. All these views of Macbeth’s guilty conscience show that indeed his downfall was his the fault of no one but himself. From this fatal flaw of Macbeth’s there is much to be learned. Even though Macbeth had a troubled conscience, his biggest flaw was not listening to it the first time he felt as though he did something wrong. Readers can then see how not listening to you conscience when it is clearly trying to tell you something can lead to very serious consequences. Macbeth is an extreme example, but if you continue to ignore certain things you know are wrong you will most likely head down a path of destruction and danger. This was only one of the lessons to be learned from Macbeth’s flaws. Another flaw of Macbeth’s readers can learn from was his internal conflict and jealousy of anyone who could possibly come in between him and crown. Macbeth was often threatened by other people who could possibly take the crown from him. The first time th e reader can see this jealousy arise was when Macduff said, â€Å"Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter, Prince of Cumberland;† (1.4.38-39). Macbeth’s first reaction was to fear the whole family line of Macduff. This intimidation lead to one of Macbeth’s most careless destructive decision when heShow MoreRelatedHomers Odyssey and O Brother, Where Art Thou?1057 Words   |  5 Pagescommon. The Odyssey stars Odysseus, a man famous for his heroics in the Trojan War. O Brother, Where Art Thou? shows a bit of a contrast by starring Ulysses, a former convict who escaped and began looking for â€Å"A Treasure†. So by default, one would assume that that these two stories would be completely different. However, it ends up being quite the opposite. The two stories are so remarkably alike that it is almost staggering. However, it may not just be simple similarities that make the two so alikeRead More A Comparison of Oedipus and Odysseus Essay1901 Words   |   8 PagesSimilarities Between Oedipus and Odyssues      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Since the beginning of time epic tales have been passed on from generation to generation as a form of entertainment.   Even though each epic is different in its plot, every epic has certain features in common.   The prime example of their similarities is their main character, the hero of the epic.  Ã‚   The heros behavior changes from the beginning to the end of the tale.   Since the plot revolves around the epic hero, in most cases, they are made