Caravaggio and Shakespeare: Exploring Immortality and Self Hatred

Caravaggio, the celebrated Italian Renaissance painter, created “David With The Head of Goliath” inspired by the biblical story of “David and Goliath.” In Caravaggio’s painting, David is depicted as a younger man, half clothed, with a look of both sadness and sympathy on his face while he holds Goliath’s severed head by the hair. David carries a sword that follows his eyes toward the removed head. Interestingly, Caravaggio does not paint Goliath’s face as described in the Bible, instead Goliath’s face is Caravaggio’s own. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth was first performed in 1611 at the Globe Theatre. Shakespeare’s Macbeth follows the story of a back-stabbing kingsman, living through a prophecy foretold to him by a group of three witches. Over the course of Macbeth’s story, he becomes the Thane of Cawdor, murders his king in secret, is then proclaimed King, witnesses the death of his wife, and is ultimately beheaded by his enemy, Macduff. Both “David With The Head of Goliath” and Macbeth draw on similar themes of immortality and self-hatred.

Toward the end of the play where Macbeth has lost all of his original and sane self, he talks about his powers and strengths, mainly those given to him by the three witches. The most significant of them coming from a vision, “Laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth,” (4, 1, 79). Macbeth takes this statement to heart, believing that no man or woman can kill him. Goliath, on the other hand, does not believe in supernatural powers given to him, but in his own strength and abilities. Macbeth and Goliath have an attitude from which the reader senses that they think themselves superior to all, and even immortal. Both characters are killed by those who do not have such powers and by those who overcome such. For instance, Macbeth is killed by the very thing he thought himself immune to, a man, Macduff. Macduff, in truth, was not “of woman born,” (4, 1, 79). but was the product of an early C-Section. However, David was able to overcome Goliath’s physical strength through his humbleness and skill with a slingshot.

By replacing Goliath’s face with his own, Caravaggio shows self-hatred, a theme in both Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Caravaggio’s “David With The Head Of Goliath.” In Caravaggio’s painting, David’s gaze leads the viewer to the head of Goliath. Goliath’s own face, however, is not in the painting. Caravaggio instead paints his own face where Goliath’s face should be. In the painting Caravaggio’s face has been drained of blood and his eyes are lifeless. In the Bible, Goliath is seen as the villain of the story. Therefore, Caravaggio’s self-naming as Goliath shows the viewer that Caravaggio has feelings of self-hatred. This theme of self-hatred is further explored in Macbeth through the main character’s wife, Lady Macbeth. Guilt and ultimately self-hatred entered Lady Macbeth’s life after her involvement in the murder of her king and the eventual crowning of her husband as king. Lady Macbeth’s guilt caused her insanity. Shakespeare writes, “Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand,” (5, 1, 39). Not long after Lady Macbeth speaks this line, she commits suicide, throwing her body from a tower. She hated herself for what she had done to the king and what she had forced her husband to become. Ultimately, self-hatred manifests itself in both Caravaggio’s painting and Shakespeare’s play.

Both Shakespeare and Caravaggio create works of art that explore two different, powerful themes. These themes being immortality and self-hatred. Shakespeare draws on these themes through Macbeth’s experiences and Lady Macbeth’s experiences. Caravaggio, on the other hand, explains these themes through his imagery and the biblical story, “David and Goliath.” Whether in Caravaggio’s “David With The Head Of Goliath” or Shakespeare’s Macbeth themes of immortality and self-loathing are represented and explored.

Macbeth Really Tickled my Brain

Despite its humorous name, www.goodticklebrain.com is the best secondary source for Macbeth. Good Tickle-Brain provides comprehensive analyses that help you gain an effective understanding of the book throughout the process of reading and comprehending Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Good Tickle-Brain supplies resources that help the reader grasp a clear understanding of minor details. For each scene in the story, Tickle-Brain creates cartoons, giving a fun and productive way of addressing the important events of the text. The website also gives a smooth foundation that eases the process of breaking down and explaining certain passages and lines from the play, while letting you discuss thoughts and opinions by leaving comments. Tickle-Brain holds visual and textual support for readers in need of a secondary source. 

          Foolish might be the first thought about this, but the thoroughness of the animations that are provided on Good Tickle-Brain can make you rethink your first impression. The cartoons, enjoyable to read, amuse their viewers. Containing funny characters and short phrases the cartoons are indeed simple; however they are informative and helpful. While remaining engaging, the cartoons review specific details of passages from the play. Good Tickle-Brain does a great job of evaluating Macbeth Act 1, Scene 3, by presenting an otherwise difficult to understand text to the readers in a relatable fashion. The cartoon simplifies and paraphrases difficult dialogue in order to create a unique medium between the cartoon and the play. For example, “A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap, and munched, and munched, and munched. ‘Give me,’ quoth I. Her husband’s to Aleppo gone, master o’th’ Tiger”(Shakespeare 11). Tickle-Brain translates the lengthy and confusing excerpt to a simple line of, “This one lady refused to give me chestnuts”(Good Tickle-Brain). Both lines provide the same substance, yet portray the message in opposite language. Shakespeare, by using his dynamic pentameter, and Tickle-Brain by providing a concise and understandable language. The animations located on Tickle-Brain offer helpful and easy ways of comprehending Shakespearean literature.

          While Good Tickle-Brain does not fail to engage its viewers through fun and easy learning exercises, it also presents a personal analysis of difficult scripture pulled from Macbeth. The website references specific monologue that takes place in each scene. For example, “Let's make us medicines of our great revenge, to cure this deadly grief”(Macbeth). This line is stripped directly from the play and placed on the website to explain its relevance. In this quote extracted from the play, Tickle-Brain explains the endeavor held by Macduff and Malcolm to retaliate against Macbeth for the act of murdering Malcolm's family. Accompanying the analysed excerpts, Good Tickle-Brain offers an area to leave personal remarks and comments regarding the web page. Referring to specific acts and scenes, opinions can be held and exercised on account of the comments section located at the bottom. Offering other perspectives and ideals, one can greatly benefit off the communication and interaction between fellow Macbeth readers. 

         Reading Macbeth may be strenuous and perplex to understand, but with the help of Tickle-Brain's visual and textual support, one can remarkably differ their understanding when it come to Macbeth. Shakespearean literature will become more efficient and easier to read with the help of the phenomenal secondary source,www.goodticklebrain.com.

When reading Macbeth, make sure this is the first site you think of while discovering secondary sources.

http://goodticklebrain.com/shakespeare-index/#/macbeth/

Greed

Shakespeare's Macbeth is all about greed. Everybody is greedy, including Macbeth and his crazy wife, Lady Macbeth. Macbeth started out as the Thane of Glamis, which is already pretty good. Who wouldn’t be satisfied with that position, right? Well, Macbeth wasn’t. In fact, he

plots and kills others in order to gain a higher rank, demonstrating his insatiable hunger for power and just how much he lacks in the “chill” department. Macbeth’s actions symbolize greed, just as this photograph, taken by photographer Nick Knight and featuring model Karlie Kloss, does too. Nick Knight took a total of seven photographs, with each one representing of the seven deadly sins. In this particular photo, the model represents greed, which directly connects with Macbeth’s character.

         The first time Macbeth shows his greed for power is when he begins thinking about murdering those who obstruct his path. Basically, he isn’t just greedy, he’s a greedy, violent psychopath. Macbeth heard the prophecy told by the three weird sisters, and he says, "My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man that function is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is but what is not.”(Act 1 Scene 3) Banquo comments that Macbeth is “in rapt,’ (Act 1 Scene 3) describing how Macbeth can be easily carried away by the thought of gaining more power. This is a total change from Macbeth’s personality in the beginning of the play, because he was actually quite “normal” (But of course, who has the right to say what is normal and what is not normal?). However, soon he becomes willing to commit any crime to advance his own interests, including regicide. It’s almost as if Macbeth is high, except instead of being high on marijuana, it’s power. Macbeth knows that his greed is morally wrong, in fact, he describes them as “black and deep desires” (Act 1 Scene 4), but his hunger for power is too strong. He lets go of all his morals, and along with the encouragement from his wife, Lady Macbeth (she’s a loose screw), his greed cannot be satiated. The list of people that Macbeth kills include Duncan, the King of Scotland, two of the King’s guard and Lady Macduff, all done in order to move up in ranks or to cover his past crimes. To further your understanding of the situation, just imagine Mr. Arcand killing everyone to take the place of Dr. Curtis. In Nick Knight’s photograph, there is triangular shape in the background. A triangle is the perfect depiction of Macbeth’s path. He starts out as a Thane, which can be represented by bottom left corner of the triangle. As he moves up and gains more power, he traces along the edge of the triangle, up towards the peak. The reason for Macbeth’s advancement is his greed, which is represented by the model featured in the photograph. This marks the first half of Macbeth’s journey, and as he reaches the peak of the triangle, he has become King. He rules with an iron fist, turning the Scottish people against him, and his despotic rule would eventually lead to his downfall.

 The second half of the triangle following the peak represents Macbeth’s eventual downfall. As more and more people start hating on their new King, Macbeth begins to reach the end of his reign as King of Scotland. Greed, which brought Macbeth to the top, is also the reason for his downfall. His unchecked drive for more power transforms him into a tyrant, as described by his once loyal subject Lennox and the elder son of King Duncan, Malcom. Soon, many of Macbeth's men abandon him. Macbeth's dark past, which includes his murder of a previously widely loved King forces a sense of paranoia onto him. Macbeth is constantly afraid of losing the power that he had gained, and he loses any sense of morality he had before. As Macbeth begins using fear as a method of rule, the Scottish people turn on him. Eventually, Macbeth is too far gone. Lady Macbeth commits suicide, and Macduff murders Macbeth. Before Macbeth is killed by Macduff, Macduff tells Macbeth, “Then yield thee, coward, and live to be the show and gaze o’the time. We’ll have thee, as our rarer monsters are, painted on a pole, and underwrit, “Here may you see the tyrant.”” (Act 5 Scene 8) Everyone agrees that Macbeth has abused his power, and Macbeth dies because of it. Macbeth’s downfall, represented by the second edge of the triangle leading to the bottom right corner, cannot be blamed on anyone but himself and his wife. Greed led to Macbeth's gain of power, but it also was the main factor of his fall. The bottom right corner of the triangle in the photograph symbolizes Macbeth’s death. Sad, right? Not really. He deserved it.  

Nick Knight’s photo, featuring a model symbolizing greed, also paints a picture of Macbeth’s path as his rise to power and his downfall. Macbeth’s insatiable greed for power caused him to become King of Scotland, but it eventually resulted in his isolation and death, represented by the triangle in the photo’s backdrop.

To see the article featuring the photograph taken by Nick Knight, click the following link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3419124/Supermodels-play-seven-deadly-sins-sizzling-new-photos.html

A Comic's Understanding

In April of 1611 the first production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth took place in England and has since been performed, read, and studied hundreds of times. As time has gone on, society has strayed further from Shakespearean language, making it harder to understand. Luckily, more resources have come out that help to explain Shakespeare. These resources are essential for people to grasp Shakespeare’s stories and should be used by people, especially students, reading any of Shakespeare’s works. One in particular, Good Tickle Brain, provides a scene-by-scene breakdown for many of Shakespeare’s great works. By offering a step-by-step breakdown of each scene, as well as written summaries, Good Tickle Brain is the best secondary source to help understand Macbeth.

Good Tickle Brain uses comic strips to thoroughly break down Macbeth. A comprehensive summary is provided, simplifying the entire play into comic strips. To delve deeper into Shakespeare, Good Tickle Brain breaks down each act and scene into comic strips that thoroughly explain what happens in each scene, and it provides written summaries of each act. This is helpful for people that don’t understand some of Shakespeare’s words, but also for moments in the text when the direct meaning is not written, but rather inferred by the reader. In Scene 3 of Act 2 readers meet the Porter, who is drunk at the time. The Porter’s intoxication leads to an interaction between him and Macduff, that requires the reader to jump to some conclusions and infer to fully understand what is going on. When the Porter is asked about the effect of alcohol on a man he answers, “It makes him, and it mars him; it sets him on, and takes him off; it persuades him, and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him” (Ⅱ, iii.). While the Porter may come across as meaningful and thoughtful, in reality his thoughts are quite the opposite. In fact, his thoughts boil down to an inability to have sex after drinking. Good Tickle Brain breaks down every joke in the scene, and the ones about sex specifically in the last two panels of the comic: “Macbeth: Act 2 Scene 3 (part 1)” and in the written summary at the bottom of the page. Without the written explanation the reader can’t fully understand the jokes that Shakespeare is making throughout the passage due to the outdated language usage.

In Act 4 Scene 3 of Macbeth readers witness an interaction between Malcom and Macduff; Macduff has come to help Malcom overthrow Macbeth. In this part of the scene, Malcom is testing Macduff’s loyalty. This can be seen throughout the scene but particularly when Malcom says “If such a one be fit to govern, speak. I am as I have spoken”(IV, iii.). Malcom is gauging all of Macduff’s responses to make sure that he will be loyal to him, this is what Scene 3 gets confusing. Good Tickle Brain is the best source as it explains that Macduff is being tested, which makes it easier to identify those moments in the text.

Macbeth, like most of Shakespeare’s works, is enriched with rhythm, trickery, backstabbing, and drama. While these elements are what make Shakespeare so great, they also make the stories hard to understand without help. This is why resources like Good Tickle Brain are crucial to further a reader's understanding. Good Tickle Brain exceeds expectations by providing visuals and explanation in modern day language. In summation, Good Tickle Brain is the best resource to use because it thoroughly explains every scene in a visual and written way to best meet the needs and explain Shakespeare to readers.

Sunrises of Tomorrow

Sunrises of Tomorrow 

Every day the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, regardless of the day’s events or the importance on an individual, familial, community, country, continental, or worldly scale. There is a large separation between the magnitude and importance of the sun and the relative insignificance of an individual life. Every day people are born and people are killed, people come into and fall out of power. Lives can change completely in one day, but the sun cannot. The sun has risen and set for millions of years and will continue to do so for millions of years, regardless of who dies and who is born, who comes into power and who falls out of it, and regardless of the many ever-changing lives of people on the earth. Even William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a captivating play with numerous deaths and shifts of power, doesn’t contain events that could change the way the sun rises and sets. Leonid Afremov’s painting “Sunrise in the Harbor” illustrates just one of the myriad sunrises on Earth that continue to exist unconcerned with each day’s events or significance.

Lives are measured in tomorrows, tomorrows are measure in sunrises just like the sunrise in the harbor of Afremov’s painting. As Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot to kill the king, Lady Macbeth declares, “O, never shall sun that morrow see” (I, v). Lady Macbeth has heard of the witches prophecy and immediately concluded that King Duncan cannot live another day. Lady Macbeth is sure he will not live to see tomorrow’s sun. This is one of the earliest references to the idea of tomorrow and use of the sun as a measure of life. King Duncan’s life is coming to an end. The sun will continue to rise, but poor King Duncan won’t get to see it. His life and his throne will be taken by Macbeth, and in time Macbeth’s life and throne will be taken by another man attempting to live to see sunrises from his throne. They’re all searching for power, but this power they search for is nothing in comparison to the power of the sun; the timespan of their reign pales in comparison to the lifespan of the sun.

“Sunrise in the Harbor” depicts one of many sunrises that would not be changed by the death of Lady Macbeth in Act V Scene V. As Macbeth learns of his beloved, but horrible, wife’s death he begins to ponder on the idea of tomorrow and describes life, “It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” (V, v). Macbeth questions the significance of life; perhaps he looks out the window, sees the sun and draws the same conclusion: the conclusion that one life is trivial in comparison with the ball of fire that our existence relies upon. Lady Macbeth spent a good deal of her life plotting and conspiring in order to become queen, but in the end her life was not long and barely meaningful. Life is one small, but exciting story that spans a mere speck of time in the grand scheme of things, and while the sun may also be a speck in the universe, it is a much greater speck than one life, fictional or real. 

Both literature and art can be interpreted and connect in innumerable ways. Some people spend years studying Shakespeare and others spend their lives interpreting art; different people make different conclusions and connections. That is the beauty of art and literature. A play about three witches and a power-hungry couple and a painting of a sunrise in harbor, two things that are seemingly unconnected, can be intertwined immensely. The notions of tomorrows and the routine rising and setting of the sun both count the days of a life, fictional or real.         

Equivocation for Justification

Equivocation for Justification

Shiekh Nimr al-Nimr

A murder is not always a random, unexpected action: sometimes, it is a calculated move. Both the article “Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr: Saudi Arabia executes top Shia cleric” by BBC editors from the BBC News website and Macbeth, a play written by William Shakespeare, examine the significance of murders committed out of fear and the murders’ lack of justification that leads to a response.

Macbeth from Polanski's film

Victims may be feared by their murderers, and both the article and play explore this common driving force behind two different killings. The article describes how on January 2nd, 2016, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Saudi Arabian Shia cleric, was executed. In the majority Sunni nation of Saudi Arabia, Nimr al-Nimr, a religious leader fighting peacefully against the marginalization of Shias in the country, was accused of violence by the government as a method to justify the execution; still, family members, friends, and witnesses all said al-Nimr promoted nonviolence. The article analyzes how Saudi Arabia fears a growing dissatisfaction with the current ruling al-Saud family and the expanding influence of Shias in the Middle East. “But one of the principal concerns of the Saudis is what they see as the growing influence of Iran in places like Syria, Iraq and elsewhere,” writes the BBC editors (BBC editors). With the fear of the growing power of Iran, a majority Shia country, Saudi Arabia looks to send a message through the execution of al-Nimr while unintentionally revealing its fear. In Macbeth, as king, Macbeth kills Banquo and Macduff’s family; he also attempts to kill Banquo’s son, Fleance, and Macduff. Macbeth fears that Banquo or his son will eventually become the king of Scotland, so he attempts to have anyone who is a threat murdered to ensure his safety. “Our fears in Banquo stick deep, and in his royalty of nature reigns that which would be feared,” says Macbeth before calling in for the murderers who he assigns the task of killing Banquo and Fleance (Mac. 3.1.48-50). Macbeth’s fear drives him to do whatever is necessary to avoid a loss of power as king, even if it involves the murder of his friend Banquo. The article and play analyze how fear can be a major factor inspiring a murder; however, this is not a justified motive for killing someone and substantial consequences often result.

Saudi Arabian embassy set ablaze in Iran

A murder is difficult to rationalize, and the many murders that are committed without any justification warrant the consequences of an aggrieved reaction that often follow. In both the play and article, the murders were unjustified and engendered a significant response. “The international rights group Reprieve called the executions ‘appalling,’ saying at least four of those killed, including Sheikh Nimr, were put to death for offences related to political protest,” writes the BBC (BBC editors). The expression of opposing political views cannot justify an execution, and Shias in Iran were quick to respond. Within hours of the execution, Iranians had set fire to the Saudi Arabian embassy in Tehran. Subsequently, the government in Iran cut ties with Saudi Arabia to respond to this murder they viewed as inhumane(CNN, “Saudi Arabia Severs Ties with Iran as Protests Rage”). In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, after it becomes clear that King Macbeth has ordered many murders, he is seen as a tyrant, and Malcolm and Macbeth plot to overthrow him with a large British force. Macbeth has no justification for the murders, and his motive is solely to ensure that there are no threats to his power. “Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself. WIthin my sword’s length set him,” exclaims an angry Macduff as he finds out that Macbeth is responsible for the murder of his wife, children, and servants (Mac. 4.3.236-237). As a direct response to Macbeth’s tyrannical murders, Macduff plots a forceful attack on Macbeth’s kingdom. In both the article and play, those who feel connected to the victim of the unjustified murder decide to respond. In the article, the government of Iran, an officially Shia country, felt associated to the Shia protester; similarly in Macbeth, Macduff feels connected to his murdered family while Malcolm also feels linked to the murders taking place in his home country. When a government or person feels that an unjust action is committed, they swiftly respond to make it clear that the action will not be tolerated.

From gizmodo.com

A murder is a vicious act, and while the one committing it may have a reason, it often appears unjustified to those close to the victim who seek revenge. It is important to analyze a murder from the view of both the one perpetrating it and the victim to be able to understand any motives and to discover an accurate description of how it took place. Both the BBC editors’ article and Shakespeare’s Macbeth explain a murder from both viewpoints; through analysis, it can be concluded that the motive for each murder was fear, and its lack of sufficient justification warrants a response from those connected to the victim. While Shakespeare’s play is a work of fiction, his works including Macbeth have been politicized; therefore, they are often used as examples to represent real events such as this execution in Saudi Arabia. The BBC editors’ article and Shakespeare’s play are both forms that provide descriptions of a murder and allow an explanation to emerge of a seemingly unexplainable occurrence.

Comparing Shakespeare's Macbeth to Caravaggio's Gruesome "Judith Beheading Holofernes"

Comparing Macbeth and Caravaggio’s Judith Beheading Holofernes

Although it might not be apparent at first glance, William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s painting Judith Beheading Holofernes, have a lot in common. Macbeth is a tragic story of power and its consequences, and Judith Beheading Holofernes is a portrayal of the Biblical story of Judith’s seduction and slaying of an Assyrian general in his sleep – in order to save her people. As with all comparisons, there are both obvious, literal similarities between this play and painting, and those that require more open mindedness and analysis. The similarities that are easy to see connect the two pieces, while the more figurative similarities leave readers or observers with feelings of familiarity that are harder to describe. Both the scene depicted and emotion evoked by Caravaggio’s Judith Beheading Holofernes can be connected to Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Despite differences in context, medium, and length, these works of art have a number of noticeable literal similarities. The most obvious similarity is, well, the whole beheading thing. Though the victim being beheaded in Caravaggio’s painting is Holofernes and not Macbeth, this method of murder is used in both instances, and stands out immediately. Choosing to paint the blood spraying from Holofernes’ neck captures the true brutality of the act, much like Shakespeare’s description of Macbeth’s head being impaled upon a spear. Another apparent aspect shared by both pieces is the involvement of women in violent situations. In Caravaggio’s painting, Judith is carrying out a beheading herself, an action usually thought of as “unwomanly.” In Macbeth, in regards to the murder of King Duncan, Lady Macbeth resorts to convincing her husband to do what she believes her femininity won't allow. After hearing of Lady Macbeth’s desire to be more masculine –and therefore able to murder Duncan herself– it's easy to imagine Judith as Lady Macbeth in this painting. This desire is expressed in the famous soliloquy in Act 1, Scene 5 of Macbeth: “Come you spirits / That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here / And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood.” The passage continues on to express Lady Macbeth’s hatred towards her feelings of guilt. She believes that her capacity for empathy and guilt, an inherently feminine quality, is holding her back from committing the murder that she so badly wants to commit.

Hidden among these visible, literal similarities, are comparisons that might be harder to draw connections between. In Judith Beheading Holofernes, Judith’s maid Abra is advising her, peering over her shoulder with an intense, calculating gaze. This action is reminiscent of Lady Macbeth’s persistence in advising her husband to carry out the murders she plans. It’s as if Lady Macbeth were watching over his shoulder, convincing him to accept her advice, and confirming that he was successful. In this comparison, Judith would be Macbeth, and her maidservant would be Lady Macbeth. Another aspect worthy of interpretation is the likeness of Judith’s maid to one of the three witches. This is a total coincidence, as Judith Beheading Holofernes was painted eight years before Macbeth was performed for the very first time, but it allows for speculation about the witches’ involvement in the events of Macbeth. If Caravaggio’s painting were in the context of Macbeth, this “weird sister” would be in charge of foretelling fate, and her appearance in this scene could mean that she was overseeing the fate she predicted for Holofernes. This is completely up to the interpretation of the observer. The literal darkness of the painting –a quality found in many of Caravaggio’s works– adds to its grim effect, and evokes a solemn, dismal feeling. This same feeling can be felt while reading or watching certain parts of Macbeth as well, for instance when the imagery is particularly dark, or there is a powerful expression of a character’s despair. Feelings aren’t as much of a basis for comparison, as they can be felt in separate and unrelated instances, but emotions evoked by works like these can also provide a connection between them. Many people remember things because of the feelings that were evoked in them, as emotion plays a part in our processing of things. Also, when considering small details, it's important to analyze the characters’ visible emotion. Caravaggio is able to portray incredibly realistic emotion in Judith Beheading Holofernes, as demonstrated by the mixture of repulsion and determination painted on Judith’s face. One might imagine that Lady Macbeth would have a similar mixture of emotions on her face as she committed an act of such cruelty (but one she was so intent upon committing). 
Although some similarities between Macbeth and Judith Beheading Holofernes are easily noticeable and quite literal, others are less distinguishable, but can be discovered through analyzing the smaller details and even feelings evoked by the two pieces. Both types of comparisons are valid, even if they are based more on interpretation of the works than on fact. Comparing works of art and literature helps us process and appreciate them. Making comparisons also demonstrates our ability to analyze and think critically about things. Though the stories behind these two works of art are vastly different, the murder, murderers, and overall darkness of Caravaggio’s fascinating painting are reminiscent of Shakespeare’s tragic play Macbeth.