Question

The following excerpt from "The Tragic Hero: From Oedipus to Batman" implies that the character Macbeth is similar to the character Oedipus in Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Earlier in the story, he gets in a fight with a man riding a chariot, which ends in the man's death. Oedipus doesn't know it, but the stranger he kills is King Laius of Thebes. What Oedipus also doesn't know is that King Laius is his father. You see, Oedipus was abandoned as a baby and grew up in a different city, never knowing his parents. In fact, once he makes it to Thebes, the people are so thankful the Sphinx is gone that they decide to make him king, so he marries Queen Jocasta, who just happens to be his mother. In your response, argue that Macbeth's tragic hero status is actually different from Oedipus's

Answer 1

Macbeth willingly killed his father. That’s one main difference that comes to mind.

Answer 2

Both Macbeth and Oedipus are tragic heroes, as they are characters who have a generally good disposition, with the exception of one flaw that leads to their demise. In this sense, Macbeth and Oedipus are similar. They are also similar in the fact that fate is a strong force in their destiny.

However, Macbeth and Oedipus are also very different. One of the main differences between these two characters is the fact that Macbeth is aware of his actions, and how immoral they are. Macbeth is willing to kill and deceive in order to achieve power, and although he ends up as full of guilt as Oedipus, he was aware of the risks he was taking. Oedipus, on the other hand, is unaware of the risks he is taking and the complications of his life until the very end. Moreover, throughout the play, he is moved by a desire to act morally, which is very different from Macbeth's motivations.