Similarities Between Macbeth And Medea

Stripped down to its most basic structure, a classical tragedy centers on characters who bring about their own destruction by way of their tragic flaws. Classical tragedy is most commonly associated with ancient Greek plays, but the genre set forth by the Greeks stands the test of time quite well; after all, any person from any time and place can relate to the possibility of ruining his own life through foolish and flawed actions. Perhaps, then, it is no surprise that Renaissance author William Shakespeare himself followed in the footsteps of ancient Greek playwrights such as Euripides. Certainly, though many changes took place between Euripides’ time and Shakespeare’s, human nature was not among them. Just as human nature can be altruistic and noble, it can also prove greedy, lustful, and murderous. It is only natural, then, that art would reach across time to reflect such tragic themes as the pitfalls …show more content…
Macbeth, like Medea, has his eyes set upon a goal that was always out of his reach. By the same token, Medea unwittingly calls down her own destruction as a direct result of her foolish pursuits, just the same as Macbeth. Each character longs for what they cannot have. Macbeth is no king, but sets out to become one anyway. Medea was tossed aside by Jason unfairly, but refuses to realize that revenge will not undo her pain. In the end, they both lose everything that they had. Had he not embarked on his murderous plan, Macbeth would have enjoyed honor and respect as the thane of Cawdor for many years to come. Similarly, if Medea only had accepted that she could not rewrite the past, she would not have lost her home and her children. Macbeth and Medea are classic tragedies that unflinchingly show the darkest depths of a life ruined by the longing for that which will never be