COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Macbeth is one of the most powerful plays in the history of literature and is perhaps William Shakespeare’s masterpiece. It deals with the psychological effects of power and how these eventually destroy Macbeth who turns to dark and brutal murder to accomplish his ambition of becoming King of Scotland. The ritual underplays of the drama are indeed powerful and gripping especially those where the monologues of Macbeth are concerned. The other characters in the play also mix well especially Macbeth’s wife and the erstwhile Banquo who returns to haunt Macbeth like a ghost.
The Gift of the Magi
This great little short story by O’Henry is a classic example of how prose can create imaginative prowess and subjects for discussion. Although the couple in the story have no money, they still manage to find resources to buy each other Christmas presents. The level of imagination in the story is extremely high and demonstrates the considerable intelligence of the couple who create a world of their own in the narrative. The moral of the story is that you can be happy with nothing, certainly an instructive comparison to the greed and ambition of Macbeth.
Because I could not Stop Death
Emily Dickinson’s wonderful poetry is imbued with a constant sense of discovery and the posthumously published, ‘Because I could not stop Death’ is perhaps one of her masterpieces. The sheer directness and matter of factness of her lines especially in the opening stanza demonstrate the raw mastery of her poetic vision. It can be compared to the violence in Macbeth which is perhaps unsubtle but here Dickinson is almost like a mouse in her lines. Her power is no less effective however.
References:
Coursen, Herbert R. (1997). Macbeth: A Guide to the Play.Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-30047-X. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
St. Germain, Mark; Courts, Randy (1984). The Gifts of the Magi. New York: Dramatists Play Service, Inc. ISBN 978-0-8222-1461-8
""Because I could not stop for Death": Study Guide". Retrieved July 10, 2011. http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides2/Dickinson.html
