Macbeth and Oedipus are tragic heroes from two completely different periods of time. However, they have many similarities that join them together. As a first similarity, we can distinguish that they were both kings, driven by a force that lead them unconsciously to death. Even though Oedipus was in his youth and running away from his fate, he ended just like Macbeth. Both of these two tragic heroes had prophesies that needed to be fulfilled. They are on an unconscious search for their own fall and destruction. Macbeth is lead by the lust of powers that eventually lead him to destruction, while Oedipus is lead by the search for his origin and fulfillment of prophesy. Another similarity can be found in the women that drove them to destruction. In Macbeth’s case, his wife used his love to fulfill her goals, and in Oedipus’s, he killed his father and married his mother. One can say that the hand of fate is a little stronger in this ancient Greek tragedy, but it is as bigger as in Shakespeare’s master play, Macbeth.
The symbol of lack of sleep has a significant role in Macbeth. During the entire play. Macbeth and his wife had little sleep and no sleep at all after the murder of King Duncan. Were the quilt and the consciousness the ones to blame for the lack of sleep? Magbeth murdered his sleep with the death of King Duncan. He was in need for sleep, but his consious was preventing him from taking a rest. The sleep came finnaly when the death came.
Аccording to Paul Henry, Shakespeare is, if nothing else, a moralist. His work contains lessons in morality to be reviewed and noted. In Macbeth, it is lust for power leading to destruction. Many contemporary examples of this are evident in modern world dictators, military juntas, and corporate criminals. Macbeth has contemporary significance. On the symbolism of the play alone, entire volumes of essay are constructed.
Cited works:
Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy, Pp 468-469 Evans, Todin, eds, 1912.
Sofocle. King Oedipus
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth
Paul, Henry N. The Royal Play of Macbeth. 213-217 Shakespeare is Macbeth, 1950
