If you have read Shakespeare's plays, you will realize that many characters have similar traits or situations. Although some can be compared to each other, they are also very different in their own way. The play Macbeth is about a man whose attempts to seize power ruin his life. Tempest is about a man who uses magic to reconcile with his brother over past disagreements. The main characters Macbeth from Macbeth and Prospero from Tempest are similar because both want power, but different in how they acquire authority and initial sources of control. To begin with, Macbeth from the play Macbeth and Prospero from The Tempest are similar because both want power. In Macbeth's case, he and his friend Banquo hear a prophecy from three witches: "All hail, Macbeth!" Hello, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth, all hail, Thane of Cawdor! Hello everyone, Macbeth, you will be king from now on! (Act 1, scene 3, lines 149-15) After receiving this news, Macbeth effectively becomes the thane of Cawdor, which confirms that the witches were telling the truth. Because of this, he becomes power hungry and wants to become king right away. In Prospero's case, he was the rightful Duke of Milan but had been sent adrift on a ship with his three-year-old daughter, Miranda, by his usurping brother, Antonio. ("The Tempest" Encyclopedia Britannica) Prospero says he was Duke of Milan until his brother, Antonio, betrayed him and stole the duchy, with the king's consent, while Prospero was busy learning magic in his library, which was it's not his real job. (Shmoop Editorial Team) Because the duchy was taken away from him, Prospero wanted to become a duke again and reconcile with his brother. Additionally, Macbeth and Prospero are...... middle of paper ......your, David . “Prospero.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Np: np, nd N. pag. Encyclopedia Britannica. Internet. January 12, 2014. .Crouch, Rebecca. “Greed in Macbeth.” Prezi. Prezi Inc., nd Web. January 12, 2014. .Jones, Quin. “The power of greed.” The phone booth. Wordpress and Web. January 12, 2014. Shmoop editorial team, ed. “The Tempest.” Shmoop. Shmoop University, Inc., nd Web. January 12, 2014. “The Storm.” Encyclopedia Britannica. N. pag. Encyclopedia Britannica Academic Edition online. Internet. January 12. 2014. .