Shakespeare powerfully focuses on the negative consequences of ambition in the text 'Macbeth' and in the film 'Gladiator' directed by Ridley Scott and how it can lead to one's downfall. Macbeth is shown as the "noble" hero by the King after slaying the Thane of Cawdor and claiming victory in the war for Scotland, while Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator' portrays Maximus as the "noble" hero but still not comparing to Macbeth like Commodus does in the film. Shakespeare effectively focuses on the cynical repercussions of ambition in 'Macbeth' and how it can lead to one's failure. Macbeth is shown as a wellborn protagonist after being regarded as "Noble Macbeth" by the King of Scotland, King Duncan after slaying the Thane of Cawdor and winning …show more content…
Macbeth is slain as a tyrant and Lady Macbeth takes her own life. Shakespeare does not give either character the opportunity to enjoy what they had achieved, suggesting that it is more satisfying to achieve your goals fairly than to achieve them through corruption. Ridley Scott powerfully focuses on the negative consequences of ambition in 'Gladiator' and how it can lead to one's downfall. Using a similar storyline to Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' he uses similar character structures but also giving them many differences. Commodus' ambition begins after he kills his father Emperor Marcus Aurelius because he feels that his father did not love him enough and becomes the Emperor of Rome. Marcus says that Commodus "is not a moral man" and that "he cannot rule". Commodus is the Macbeth character in 'Gladiator' but is still not the main character. The main character in the film is Maximus who resembles Macduff in the film. While still being shown as a great fighter, Commodus is also shown in the film as a bit of a coward, after Maximus wins the war for Rome, Commodus shows up late to the victory celebrations acting as if he wasn’t even aware of a war even existing. Quickly after being crowned as Emperor of Rome, Commodus becomes disliked by the Senate and the people of Rome and seen as a pathetic leader. Commodus uses the ambition to be like his father to create barbaric fights in the Coliseum. "He'll bring them death and they will love him
Maximus becomes enslaved in a foreign land and is forced to fight for his life as a gladiator. Maximus’ fame as a gladiator grew within Rome as his skill at combat became apparent. Commodus fears that Maximus will turn the Roman people against him and return rule of Rome to the Senate.
Gladiator is an epic historical action drama set in the Roman Empire during the reign of Commodus, the last emperor of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. The film is directed by Ridley Scott and features big name actors such as Russel Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, and the late Richard Harris. In brief the story of Gladiator centers Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russel Crowe), a betrayed Roman General who is forced into becoming a gladiator. Maximus fights his way from a lowly arena on the outskirts of the empire, to the Colosseum at Rome with the goal of killing the emperor Commodus, avenging the murder of his family.
Maximus is a Trojan general who lost his wife,son and life, he becomes a slave. He must go fight as a gladiator against other gladiators. The more he fights the more he becomes famous.The film is really violent, there are a lot of fights and blood, and it’s also a moving film. The story is really gripping because you see how he needs to rebuild his life. However the film ends good
Gladiator tells the story of a Roman General, Maximus. Maximus has close ties with the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. When the emperor's son Commodus strangles his aging father and names himself the new emperor, he figures that one of his main opponents will be Maximus, his father's favourite. He tries to have Maximus executed, but the plan goes sour when Maximus escapes from his executioners, is sold into slavery and made into a gladiator. Gladiator also explores the argument of power, in the film power is seen through the people of Rome. So, who they follow is the one who has the power and in this film, we see the power being taken away form an emperor by a gladiator slave. The sequence I have chosen is the last ten minutes of the film
Most of this movie is fictional. Commodus did not kill his father. He took the throne as a teenager, had a wife, and was very strong and good in battle. He ruled for 13 years, rather than a short period like in the movie. Commodus did not die in the arena either, he died in the bath from being strangled.
The Gladiator the movie directed Ridley Scoot bases a story during the ancient Roman Empire when the great philosopher and emperor of Rome was Marcus Aurelis. Who is portrayed in the begging of movie as very ill and on his last days, but still on the toe of his battles regarding his health. In the other hand his son and predecessor Commodus is not by his side to witness the battles instead his on safe grounds away from danger. Maximus His favored Commander of his army is out in the field risking his life for Rome. Whom under his command they win the war. Shortly after the victory Aurelis offers his crown to Maximus knowing his on his last breaths as he always seen him as the son he never had. Maximus respectfully denies the offer, as his only wish is to be at his humble home with his family whom he hasn’t seen for almost three years. Aurelis gives him the afternoon to think about his tempting offer. Commodus is told the news from his father that he wont be the predecessor that Maximus is whom he has chosen because he lacks the virtues to rule Rome. He gets very disturbed and in cold blood kills his own father to retain the power for himself. Maximus knows the king had been murdered and the reason why. It’s when the hero’s journey of Maximus begins transforming him to a new being as he has to get justice for his family.
In Ridley Scott’s movie Gladiator, much of the storyline is based on facts about what life was like in the Roman Empire. After the death of the much beloved emperor Marcus Aurelius, the reign of the five “good emperors” came to an end. Emperors were a major part of Rome’s history, civilization, and rules. Although every factual story that Hollywood gets ahold of usually gets fantasized in one way or another, this one gave a decently accurate depiction of Marcus Aurelius, gladiatorial training and shows, Roman military, as well as depicting the battles that the Roman army fought. Things such as the relationship between Aurelius and his son Commodus, the main character Maximus, and Commodus and his sister Lucilla’s relationship are very over
The movie Gladiator would be considered a tragedy as the main character in the movie Maximus who is a respected and loyal Roman general to Caesar. Maximus is the favoured General of Caesar, he is a family man who fights for country while fighting for the right to go home to his wife and son without the treat of invasion. Throughout the movie Maximus falls from grace as of a result of small constant bad decisions. His fall is a result of the present Caesar who asks Maximus to be his successor, when Maximus fails to answer and decides to think it over Caesars son, Commodus kills his father, taking control of Rome. This is Maximus first bad decision as when the new Caesar asks for his loyalty he turns his back and expresses how he is no
Gladiator truth or fiction? For my essay I have chosen to do Gladiator. Gladiator is a movie that was portrayed at the time of 180 AD in Rome. At this time the leader of Rome was Marcus Aurelius, but is soon met with the termination of his reign and his son Lucius Aurelius Commodus takes his place. Commodus was a well known gladiator before and during his time of Emperor. His father, Marcus Aurelius was a great philosopher as well as a military tactician. The main character is Maximus Decimus Meridius who is fictional character used in the film to create this all around hero type character. Furthermore, some even suggest Maximus is a character made from a mixture of a multitude of great warriors and gladiators of that time. Three
The biggest moment in which Commodus shows his lust for power is at the beginning of the movie. His father Marcus Aurelius, who is also the Emperor, decides that the Roman General Maximus Meridius, who is very close to Marcus, is to take over the Roman Empire as Ceasar once he dies(Movie). He does not believe Commodus is fit to rule. Marcus tells his son this news and Commodus is so heart broken by Marcus’ decision that he suffocates his own father in order to take over the empire(Movie). Commodus also shows pride in himself multiple times throughout the film. Towards the beginning of the film Commodus constantly boasts to the Senate and Maximus about how will take over the Empire once his father dies(Movie). Commodus also asks Maximus if he is willing to stay and continue leading the Roman Army when he becomes Ceasar. Later on in the movie after Commodus has become Ceasar, he is always showing how he is royalty(Movie). He takes pride in the way he dresses with fine white royal robes, the crown, fancy armor, and capes. He loves that he lives in a marble palace with servants and guards to fetch his every need, and has the finest decorations and tableware(Movie).
With his military skills he survives all of his gladiator fights which gives him great fame throughout the town. He is then sent out to Rome to fight in the Coliseum. While fighting in Rome, Maximus wins all of the fights that he is in and ends up gaining great fame all throughout Rome. In Rome he ends up meeting with his old love, which is Commodus’s sister, Lucilla. They both figure out a plan to try and bring down the emperor but, they are caught trying to do this. Commodus then brings in his best fighters to try and defeat Maximus but none of them succeed. Then with Maximus getting more popular then the emperor he is left to one resort and that is to fight Maximus in the Coliseum.
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator is a spectacular showing of the recreation of the golden age of the Roman Empire that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats in anticipation for the entirety of the movie. Set during the winter of 180 AD, a Roman general named Maximus (Russell Crowe) is about to fight the final battle of a campaign on the edges of the empire. As the battle starts Maximus tells his men to “unleash hell” and that is exactly what happened when his men fill the sky with flaming arrows and fiery pots that set the trees on fire. As the battle reaches the conclusion Maximus meets up with Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) who talks to him about his sadness with the corruption in Rome.
Gladiator is in the manner that the main characters became slaves/gladiators and the aspect of how “freedom” is earned. Maximus on the other hand, was a Roman General that refused to serve for the Roman new emperor, Commodus, who had murdered his father, Marcus Aurelius, in order to obtain control of the Roman Empire. The biggest difference between Gladiator and Spartacus is the manner in which their respective freedom is earned. Gladiators freedom is earned thru defeating Commodus, who sentences Maximus to be executed. The story begins after he escapes his captors and rides off to his farm. This is after he discovers that his family has been murdered by said King/Emperor Commodus. Maximus collapses from exhaustion and is then picked up by slave traders and sold to Proximo, thus leading to his voyage of becoming a Gladiator and his fight against the King. Another difference is that Spartacus is pressured into fighting the best gladiator of the Roman army, upon the conclusion of his training however, he is defeated. Afterward he becomes leader of the Army of Slaves and in an effort to gain the slaves freedom back, he leads them to battle. After being captured, Spartacus ultimately has to fight it out with a slave who is also captured and the winner will be crucified. In Gladiator, Gladiators from all over the Roman
Gladiator, released in 2000, is directed by Ridley Scott, and follows the revenge tale of Maximus. In the beginning, Maximus is a General in the Roman army, and he is very close to the emperor. Commodus, the emperor 's son, becomes jealous of Maximus 's fame and kills his family. Commodus then captures Maximus, strips him of all his power and fame, and forces him to become a gladiator slave. Throughout the movie, Maximus goes from being a very powerful individual to having no power at all. He attempts to gain his power back through fighting in the arena and taking his revenge on Commodus. Being wronged by someone else makes victims feel powerless, they try to get rid of the powerless feeling by getting their power back through vengeance, and media, like movies and TV shows, only show the black and white of revenge.
The film Gladiators was about the reign or Marcus Aurelius coming to an end. When Marcus chooses Maximus, an army general and a powerful man with good morals, over his own son Commodus, to be heir to the throne of the Roman Empire, Commodus is enraged and sentences Maximus and his family to death. Maximus escapes his death sentence but is unable to save his family. The loss of his family causes his willpower to disappear which allows him to be captured and put into the games of the Gladiators until death. The only thing keeping him fighting is that he has a chance to rise to the top and take revenge on the man who destroyed everything he loved, the new emperor Commodus.