Movies and plays may resemble each other due to similar plot twists, characters, or themes. Such coincidences occur regularly due to familiar storylines and heroes’ prototypes. For instance, William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is often linked to Francis Ford Coppola’s film The Godfather. Primarily, they are associated due to the similarity of the characters. Even though the characters are similar, at some points, their behaviors differ.
To begin with, it is vital to look at the main idea of each renowned masterpiece quickly. The tragedy of Macbeth discloses the Scottish nobleman’s journey to become king, with the help of his wife, Lady Macbeth, and the repercussions resulting from the murder of the king (Shakespeare 1). Meanwhile, in The Godfather, the audience sees relentless criticism of capitalism and the hypocritical world of those in power, in which finance is a weapon and politics is a trigger that is pulled at the right moment.
The central theme of Macbeth – the destruction that occurs when ambitions are not restrained by moral constraints – finds its most robust expression in the two main characters of the play. Meanwhile, The Godfather is about the fate of kinship ties and human relations in the modern world. The family in the movie is by no means a phenomenon of private life but a vital structure that can challenge modern urban civilization by creating parallel power structures. Even though the significant ideas differ in essence, the compositions put forward prototypical heroes who prefer a fight over a peaceful life.
Both play and movie similarly illustrate the protagonists. Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, and Michael Corleone, the godfather’s son, both start as minor characters who are initially considered innocent and insignificant. However, as the plot develops, they become the central figures. They suddenly tend to become completely contrasting figures, unlike their original ideas, due to family affairs. For instance, Michael Corleone, the future lawyer, war hero, and prosperous individual, suddenly changes due to his father’s death.
The main character appears not even a noble robber but a cruel but wise ruler of a shadow empire built on mutual recognition of kinship or friendly ties between its members. Nonetheless, upon the departure of his dad, Michael becomes ruthless. For example, according to the plan developed by the Corleone clan, Michael kills Sollozzo and the New York Police Captain McCluskey hired by him in cold blood over dinner at a restaurant (The Godfather 01:15:07). Similarly, Macbeth is initially a brave warrior, a loyal vassal of his king Duncan. However, when ambition creeps into his soul, he becomes thirsty for power. These feelings push him to commit a crime – the murder of the king and the usurpation of the throne.
On the other hand, their desire to grasp power begins in different time periods. Macbeth plans to take on authority a lot sooner than Corleone. It is conditioned by the encounter with the witches who predicted Macbeth to become the greatest king. This motivated him to fight for power more intensively. Hence, scared by the witches’ prediction that Banquo’s heirs will own the throne, Macbeth resorts to assassinators to murder Banquo and his son Fleance (Shakespeare 34). Meanwhile, Michal begins his riot in order to protect his family, specifically his father.
In addition, both characters are initially marginalized in society. From the very beginning, they stood out of the crowd, willing for goodness to prevail. However, the pushy tendencies of the environment made them rebel. According to the principle of Corleone and Macbeth, a person can get everything if they want it a lot. Therefore, they were driven by the desire to grasp every single bit of power to prove to themselves they could do anything. Such characters are usually unhappy as they have to struggle throughout their whole life. However, they cannot live differently as challenges fascinate them and diversify their existence.
Nonetheless, these characters differ in the way they have come to power. Michael never wanted it until the political structure fell apart, while Macbeth intentionally desired to grasp it for the willingness to be predominant. In this sense, Michael reminds Malcolm, Duncan’s eldest son, who never aimed to be a king until his father was murdered by Macbeth. Malcolm was forced to hide, just like Michael, after killing Sollozzo, and he also had a pathetic brother in Donalbane (The Godfather 01:02:00). Malcolm regains the power but must gather an army of exiles and murders many people to restore the authority of his family and make the kingdom peaceful again.
In summary, Macbeth and The Godfather similarly portray the protagonists – Macbeth and Michael Corleone. They are alike in a way that the characters are primarily depicted as innocent people who are unlikely to hurt anyone. However, as the storylines progress, they become those ready to kill for personal gain. Both men chased for power driven by family circumstances. Nonetheless, it is visible that the characters are trying to establish justice and prove to their families that they can ensure peace.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Sparknotes, n. d.
The Godfather. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Paramount Pictures, 1972.