Common Themes in Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet

Shakespeare utilizes the supernatural and fate to pave the destiny of some of his characters in his tragedies. Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet appear to have a common novel theme of fate, betrayal to supremacy, and the struggle to restore providential power. Shakespeare uses rhetoric to effectively convey the idea of fate and the struggle against it. In all three of these Shakespearian tragedies characters encounter the emotion of disbelief and the struggle to seek refuge from fate and to ultimately live life as if it were their free will. In Macbeth and Hamlet, Shakespeare appears to use apparitions early in the play to effectively establish mysteriousness of the paths of these characters. By using apparitions Shakespeare clearly makes a distinction of the supernatural and reality. In these moments of these confrontations Shakespeare successfully establishes Hamlet and Macbeth’s mortality and their inevitability to succumbing to their fate. But were Hamlet and Macbeth actually doomed right away or were they in a situation where poor choices caused their downfall? H.B. Charlton thinks that Hamlet being that type of man he is, fails to kill Claudius right after King Hamlet has been murdered causing him to succumb to his fate (83). Also Julius Caesar and Duncan’s ghost appear in their plays. In each of these tragedies the main character has one emotion when he encounters fate, disbelief. Disbelief in the potential of the fore warnings and foreshadowing of his fate. And disbelief when fate has ultimately become reality. There is probably no better example of this in Shakespearian work than Cassius’s comment to Brutus,“Men at sometime were masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings” (I.ii.140–142).” At this point Cassius expresses man’s inevitability to meet fate, and the mere fact of being born under the stars condemns men to their fate. Each Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet is considered some of Shakespeare’s best and most known work also his best examples of betrayal and inner struggle. In Macbeth and Hamlet, the character(s) whom deal with this inner struggle are obvious. But in Julius Caesar, Brutus has to deal with inner struggle, betrayal, and fate more so than Julius Caesar(Hamlet and Lord Macbeth). Brutus has a tough decision to make. Does Brutus honor his friendship to Julius Caesar and let Rome become a dictatorship or honor the country and does what he thinks best and kill his friend Caesar? This theme of betrayal is the backbone to all of these plays and which all have betrayal occurring to nobility or important political figures. In all three the head figure of the Kingdom or empire is overthrown to the dismay of the people of the kingdom. Claudius, Hamlet’ uncle, murders King Hamlet to take the crown and marry Hamlet’s mother. Lord and Lady Macbeth murder a good friend and king, Duncan, to take over the throne. And Julius Caesar is murdered by some of his closest affiliates for the “good” of the empire. Shakespeare’s most interesting character in all three plays is Hamlet . Hamlet’s background as an courtier and scholar causes Hamlet to be extremely philosophical and contemplative. This appears to make Hamlet a more interesting character to study than the rest. Hamlet’s inner struggle is more contemplative and insightful. Hamlet obsessively explores his conscience. Hamlet’s famous soliloquies often touch on death, human existence, plagued society, fate, fortune, and the unknown. But a character as deeply insightful and well-rounded as Hamlet, finds himself slaying without premeditation or thought. It is here where Shakespeare shows his brilliance as an playwright. He creates a well- rounded, well- liked, courtier, scholar, and noble man put him up against the test of fate. They were several moments when Hamlet could have possibly reversed fate and was turned away. Shakespeare shows Hamlet in his excellence and defeat to convey the idea of fate that much more clearly. Shakespeare illustrates with Hamlet’s character that there is no such thing as escaping fate, just merely succumbing to it. Overall, all of these works have very much in common, but are very different in their own way. Hamlet and Macbeth are the more known of the three tragedies while Julius Caesar is considered to be literary masterpiece. David Bevington feels that “[Julius Caesar]....introduces the period of great tragedies.”(1051) But all do have in common that they’re literally masterpieces and some of the greatest works of all time. Hamlet’s and Marc Antony soliloquies and speeches rank as some of the most read and respected works of art in the Western world. It is through the speeches and characters that Shakespeare expresses timeless themes of betrayal, fate, downfall, and corruption.

Bibliography

Charlton, H.B. Shakespearian Tragedy. London: The Syndics of The Cambridge University Press, 1948.

Bevington, David. Shakespeare’s Tragedies-5th ed . Chicago: Pearson Longman, 1987.