Oedipus The King And Macbeth Comparison Essay

1052 Words3 Pages

Harcharan, Angelica
TH 111
Professor Allison Crutchfield
The Comparison of two plays
Oedipus Rex by, Sophocles and, Macbeth by, William Shakespeare both have a variety of themes shared. The themes and important symbols not only shaped characters, but their decision choices. Oedipus Rex was one of the main characters he had fate to kill his father and marry his mother he was living the good life unlike Macbeth, he was thrilled about being king but, deciding on his own that he will murder Duncan to have the crown. The themes shared are power, truth, free will, going against the natural order, motivation and ambition. These themes mentioned relate on how the characters specifically acted and their decision choices.
In the Greek and Oedipus PowerPoint slideshow it was mentioned that this play was an “Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed c. 429 BCE” Oedipus Rex is about a man named Oedipus who is in fate to kill his father and marry his mother and have children with her. He was shocked by this so he leaves the home and kingdom of his parents but he does not know his true identity that he is an adopted child. Oedipus travels to the city in search of his parents which can be a theme of determination. Oedipus murders his father King Laius and marries his mother Queens Jocasta which is portrayed as revenge. The people in Thebes choose Oedipus to be king, the play goes into Oedipus in Thebes and how he comes into knowing his identity.
When Oedipus is aware about what is occurring in Thebes he sends his brother-in-law, Creon. Creon informs Oedipus that the curse is to the murderer of Laius, the former king, is found and prosecuted. Oedipus dedicates himself to the prosecution of Laius’s murderer. Oedipus subjects questio...

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...l this will affect Macbeth for killing Banquo in comparison to the scar that was left on Oedipus swollen feet.
In reading both texts it is clear that fate in these stories is against the prophecies. In Macbeth, the witches warned Macbeth he will not die and is eventually killed by Macduff. Similarly in Oedipus Rex, the King's son will murder the King and marry the Queen. Oedipus is now grown traveling as King he runs into a stranger at the crossroads and ends up killing him. Oedipus is then announced as the King of Thebes, after Thebes hear the news of the King being killed at the crossroads, so Oedipus marries the Queen, fulfilling the prophecy. The fate in both stories is the fulfilling the prophecies. It was by this fate that created the drama of these tragedies. Both Oedipus (a prince) and Macbeth (a knight) are seen as higher class death occurs in the end.

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