Preview

Oedipus Rex and MacBeth

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
841 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Oedipus Rex and MacBeth
Tragedy […] is an imitation of an action that is serious […] with incidents arousing pity and fear. (Aristotles, Poetics IV, 1449a 10-15) Tragedy follows the rise and the fall of its protagonist who is overcome by the antagonist. Aristotle’s Oedipus Rex and Shakespeare’s Macbeth capture the timeless nature of human experience; they display powerful central characters whose course of action demonstrates the different attributes and sides of human nature. Through the vicissitudes of protagonists’ fates, the audience explores that anyone has the ability to perpetrate good and evil and the extent of such deeds. The best and the worst of humanity from virtue, nobleness and altruism to ambition, hubris and subjugation of one’s self and morals for power are examined in those two plays.

The protagonists of Oedipus Rex and Macbeth are both the epitome of a virtuous hero when the plays open. Oedipus, a powerful ruler is loved and praised by all citizens of Thebes. He has saved the city from Sphinx with his wisdom, and people ‘judge that [he] more than any man can guide [them] in life’s troubles (L33-34). He is the bastion of his people and is bereaved by the deaths caused by a plague that has polluted the city as if the people were his own children. At times of tragedies and hardships, he proclaims judgement and justice displaying strong leadership: when he hears the prophecy from Apollo’s oracle that murderer of the former king is causing the plague, he commands the murderer to be exiled from his land when he is found. He swears to ‘fight for him as if for [his] own father’ (L254). This dramatic irony later emphasizes the tragedy of his fate and it is the cause of this irony that accents the hamartia of his nature, hubris. Like Oedipus, Macbeth is an archetypical war hero whom the king trusts and the people regard with respect. He is noble, courageous and loyal. He is aptly rewarded for his feats and is successful. Yet it is staggering to see how quick the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The unavoidable result is that tragedy is old fashioned; Tis for royalty. If the excitement of tragic action were honestly a asset of a high character alone, it is unbelievable that mankind should cherish tragedy above all, let alone understand that. Tragedy is invoked when a character is ready to die to secure his one objective. In Shakespearean tragedies, from Hamlet to Macbeth, the primary struggle is that attempt of gaining their “rightful” position in society. Furthermore, Tragedy then is the outcome of a man’s pressure to evaluate himself.…

    • 454 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Macbeth is greedy, he kills people for his own benefit regardless of the consequences. All tragic heroes are looked up to because of their courage and nobility, however he is not courageous nor noble.When Lady Macbeth dies and he gets the news, he does not react how a loving husband would react to the death of their beloved wife.…

    • 477 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Power Analysis

    • 587 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Despite Macbeth seeming noble and courageous towards the court, I, as a reader, am knowledgeable of his true feelings and do not feel sympathetic towards him. He does not fulfill the definitions of a sympathetic literary character that I carry in my mind, as he is aware and in control of his evil intentions and actions. In Act I, Macbeth’s initial reaction to the prophecy is murder, and his eventual commitment to the act showcases his true character as a murderous but independent…

    • 587 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout history, many tragic heroic figures have encountered a downfall. Not because they are malevolent or villainous, but because of a character flaw. In William Shakespeare's’ tragedy, Macbeth the main character Macbeth embodies the tragic hero persona. Though he is believed to be of nobility, he is blinded by greed, ambition and power to a gruesome end by those very traits which bring him fortune. Macbeth’s tragedy of his heroism occurs through battling his self conscience, secondly by pride and ego, finally by fear to protect his ambition.…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gender Roles In Macbeth

    • 1778 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a fictional play about the famed general Macbeth and how his ambition ultimately leads to his downfall. In the beginning of the story, Macbeth is seen as a great hero after assisting the…

    • 1778 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Renowned play, “Macbeth” written by William Shakespeare in 1606, is one of the most prestigious dramas to date. Valiant and truthful soldier, Macbeth experiences dire changes of evil, in order to gain his thriftless ambition for king. His immoral change might have been influenced by Lady Macbeth and the witches’ prophecies suggesting Macbeth is a tragic hero who had no intent of abhorrent deeds. Once honourable Macbeth pledges glory to his king and gained honour through valiant accomplishments. Fear strikes him as his mind starts to deteriorate into utter chaos by his treacherous actions. His self-conscious mind transforms him into a superstitious villain who suffers in despair as he implicates regret.…

    • 349 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Maestro Essay

    • 1306 Words
    • 6 Pages

    3. What evidence do we have of Macbeth’s bravery and the high regard Duncan holds him? As he enters battle he ‘disdains fortune’ only slaying his enemies for the king. Duncan believes that he is a ‘worthy gentleman”.…

    • 1306 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Tragedy is an imitation not of men but of a life, an action…” (Aristotle). Greek Tragedy was invented five hundred years Before Common Era, and focuses on the actions of characters. These actions emphasize the harsh reality in which the innocent mankind lives in. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus is defined as one with great potential, but has a hamartia leading to the ultimate demise of himself. Oedipus’ actions are tragic, as he tries to make the right choice but fails. He was dealt a hand that would only lead him to lose. Furthermore, Sophocles develops Oedipus as a relatable character which allows for catharsis to occur. Aristotle’s, The Poetics, explains the necessary components to create a powerful Tragedy. Oedipus the King is a powerful representation of Aristotle’s ideas on tragedy, so the purpose, protagonist, fall, and plot elements in Oedipus the King demonstrate the concepts of tragedy written in The Poetics.…

    • 1201 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Often labeled one of Shakespeare’s most lethal and sinister plays, Macbeth is a drama so praiseworthy that is able to perfectly absorb and embody the greatest fears of its time period, and then instill them back into its audience, frightening them even greater than they were before. Above all, Shakespeare valued a good story, and the witches, traitors, and deceit that was prevalent throughout the play all served to captivate the audience and touch on topics that everyone would be aware of. By opening his play so such a wide audience, Shakespeare was able to impact everyone from the royals to the peasants. Within the plethora of independent battles in the play itself, there is one recurring clash in particular that serves…

    • 1432 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    As the children address Oedipus with remarks such as “You are not one of the immortal gods, we know; Yet we have come to you to make our prayer as to the man surest in mortal ways and wisest in the ways of God.” (1. Prologue. 35. 43.), the audience can understand Oedipus's role as king and the respect to his power, as with an irony on the fate bestowed upon our hero. As the fate of Oedipus is that of the tragic hero, Aristotle's descriptions of simple and complex plots within a tragedy lead to such “events that are fearful and pathetic" (Aristotle. 70). As Aristotle said that a tragedy should evoke two emotions: terror and pity, such that the audience is aroused with these feelings with the fate of Oedipus, but can relate and understand logically how such events took place.…

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Shakespeare’s masterpiece of a play, ‘Macbeth’, carefully depicts that Macbeth’s character was not ruined by fate but rather by damaging errors in his personality. Macbeth’s dangerous quality of ambition brings about his downfall as well as his treachery against his king, his tyranny and also his imaginativeness that eventually lures him into the murder. Although Shakespeare suggests that Macbeth’s decisions were greatly influenced by other characters in his text, it was Macbeth that ultimately decided to listen to these influences due to the many faults in his character.…

    • 88 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Oedipus the King

    • 1315 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Sophocles is one of the best and most well-known ancient Greek tragedians. He influenced the development of drama especially by adding a third character and thereby reducing the importance of the chorus in the presentation of the plot. Even though he wrote 123 plays, he is mostly famous for his three plays concerning Oedipus and Antigone: these are often known as the Theban plays or The Oedipus Cycle. One of these plays is “Oedipus the King”, which will be discussed throughout this essay. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus learns, as the story unfolds, that he committed both patricide and incest. Sophocles’ use of dramatic irony emphasizes how limited human understanding is and the pain and suffering that is created due to misunderstandings. As time progresses, he slowly and powerlessly watches his world and everything he has known crumble before him. Now, the real question is whether or not he bears full responsibility for what is happening and for his past acts. In my opinion, Oedipus is indeed responsible to a great extent for his fate.…

    • 1315 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Because we first hear of Macbeth in the wounded captain's account of his battlefield valor, our initial impression is of a brave and capable warrior. This perspective is complicated, however, once we see Macbeth interact with the three witches. We realize that his physical courage is joined by a consuming ambition and a tendency to self-doubt--the prediction that he will be king brings him joy, but it also creates inner turmoil. These three attributes--bravery, ambition, and self-doubt--struggle for mastery of Macbeth throughout the play. This complexity adds another dimension to the character of Macbeth, making him much more interesting.…

    • 988 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    We remember Romeo of Montague’s star-crossed romance, Anakin Skywalker’s transition to the dark side, and even Lindsay Lohan’s fall to drug abuse, for a reason. They are our tragic heroes, people whose tales begin promisingly until they ultimately sink into calamity, often due to their own faults. Their hamartia is what always takes the hero down. For Romeo, perhaps his it is his impulsiveness that leads him to gulp down poison in the end of the well-known Shakespearean tragedy. For Lindsay Lohan, it was her substance addictions at the peak of her career. In the end, though they are flawed, we pity this type of character and sympathize with their plights. Oedipus of the Sophoclean play Oedipus the King is the paragon of a tragic hero. The audience…

    • 193 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    We first hear of Macbeth as a honorable and worthy soldier, who would risk his life for his country in a split second. He is also perceived to be violent and malicious, but this can be overlooked because of the heat of battle and built up anger/rage is put into these fights.Macbeth seems to be on the track to glory and victory in both…

    • 1327 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics