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Comparative Essay Between Macbeth and a Tell Tale Heart

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Comparative Essay Between Macbeth and a Tell Tale Heart
Similarities can be attained through Macbeth and yet Relate to A Tell Tale Heart

Circling the idea of stories relating much to another story is clearly demonstrated in the transfer of character comparisons in Macbeth by William Shakespeare with “A Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe is very evident. In the two stories, both of the main characters are not that different then each other; they are both built upon the same characteristics and lead forward by their thriving ambitions. Firstly, in the play before Macbeth’s eyes appears a dagger. This dagger represents much more than death; he seeing this in his mind was what led Macbeth into the room of King Duncan. He was much confused with Banquo proclaiming his loyalty for the King, as he stood there asking “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle towards my hand? Come, let me clutch thee/ Mine eyes are made the fools o’th’other senses/ the bell invites me…That summons thee to heaven or to hell (II. i. 32-66). In the short story the main character’s last straw to go forth and finally commit the murder, was the hard beating of the old man’s heart. He/she stood there waiting “but the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart would burst. And now the anxiety seized me…the old man’s hour had come! (2). These are very similar scenarios in two different stories; in both the story and the play the protagonists both have a goal and this is like a final string for them, they both imagine these items/senses but yet these made up objects had such a big impact on the protagonist to make them actually commit it. These both revolve around the idea of murder overcoming all senses. Secondly, in the play Macbeth gains confidence through the pervasion of the 3 witches and this leads to his demise. He listens to the witch stating about the forest falling “That will never be: Who can impress the forest, bid the tree unfix his earthbound root? / Macbeth shall live the lease of nature” (IV. i. 93-102). Also in the

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