Harcharan, AngelicaTH 111Professor Allison CrutchfieldThe Comparison of Two Plays Sophocles' Oedipus Rex and William Shakespeare's Macbeth both have a variety of shared themes. Important themes and symbols not only shaped the characters, but also their decision choices. Oedipus Rex was one of the main characters. He was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. He lived the good life unlike Macbeth. He was delighted to be king but decided on his own to assassinate Duncan to have the crown. Themes shared are power, truth, free will, the opposite of the natural order, motivation and ambition. These mentioned themes relate to 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 around 1930." 429 BCE » Oedipus Rex is about a man named Oedipus who is destined to kill his father, marry his mother, and have children with her. He was shocked by this so he leaves his parents' home and kingdom but he doesn't know his true identity and he is an adopted child. Oedipus goes to town in search of his parents, which can be a theme of determination. Oedipus murders his father King Laius and marries his mother Queen Jocasta, which is described as revenge. The people of Thebes choose Oedipus as their king, the play tells of Oedipus in Thebes and how he learns his identity. When Oedipus learns of what is happening in Thebes, he sends his brother-in-law, Creon. Creon informs Oedipus that the curse is placed on the murderer of Laius, the former king, who has been found and pursued. Oedipus devotes himself to the pursuit of Laius's murderer. Oedipus topic question...... middle of paper ......l this will affect Macbeth for killing Banquo in relation to the scar that was left on Oedipus' swollen feet. Reading both texts, it is clear that the destiny in these stories is contrary to the prophecies. In Macbeth, the witches have warned Macbeth that he will not die and that he will ultimately be killed by Macduff. Similarly in Oedipus Rex, the king's son will murder the king and marry the queen. Oedipus has now become a traveling king, he meets a stranger at the crossroads and ends up killing him. Oedipus is then announced as king of Thebes, after Thebes hears the news of the king's death at the crossroads, so Oedipus marries the queen, thus fulfilling the prophecy. Destiny in both stories is the fulfillment of prophecies. It is through this fate that the drama of these tragedies was born. Oedipus (a prince) and Macbeth (a knight) are both seen as a higher class death that occurs at the end..