In Contarini Fleming, Benjamin Disraeli said “Circumstances are beyond the control of man; but his conduct is in his own power.” This expression means that although a person cannot control the situations they are placed in, how they react and handle these situations is up to them. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King supports Disraeli’s statement because it was Macbeth and Oedipus’ actions and fatal flaw that inevitably led them to make the choices they made that drive their respective prophecies.
In Macbeth, the character of Macbeth could not have avoided his destiny because of his overly ambitious nature. He is told by the witches that he will be king and in his thirst for power betrays his king. Macbeth’s decision …show more content…
He admits his own faults and it is this fatal flaw that drives the prophecy forward. He is ruthless and ambitious to the point that once he hears that Malcolm is the heir to the throne, he says:
The prince of Cumberland! That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires (1.4. 55-58).
From the moment, Macbeth kills Duncan, he has already committed a crime in which he is a traitor to his country, his benefactor, and his guest. Macbeth was not able to control the prophecy but his actions in trying to fulfill it were his own choices. Macbeth’s obsession with power and keeping it safe leads him to kill Macduff’s family, and Banquo. By trying so hard to become king, he inevitably made sure that he would be the first and last king of his line. He becomes paranoid with losing this power and this is especially prominent when he says: To be thus is nothing,
But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be feared …show more content…
OEDIPUS: You’re a dead man if I have to ask again (1279-81).
SHEPHERD: Oh no, I’m right at the edge, the horrible truth—I’ve got to say it!
OEDIPUS: And I’m at the edge of hearing horrors, yes, but I must hear (1285-7).
Oedipus feels no fear for the truth and despite these multiple warnings he still insisted on finding out the truth. If Oedipus had only agreed to be banished from Thebes, he would have been saved from the consequences that would entail, but his actions and stubbornness made this impossible. Oedipus is hubristic enough to believe that he can avoid the prophecy and because he tried so hard to stop the prophecy from coming true, he sealed his own fate. When he learns of his prophecy, he runs away from Corinth in an attempt to outmaneuver the prophecy, and is being punished for defying the gods. When he finds out that Polybus is dead, he says:
They winged me on to the murder of my father, did they? That was my doom?
Well look, he’s dead and buried, hidden under the
In Macbeth, the character of Macbeth could not have avoided his destiny because of his overly ambitious nature. He is told by the witches that he will be king and in his thirst for power betrays his king. Macbeth’s decision …show more content…
He admits his own faults and it is this fatal flaw that drives the prophecy forward. He is ruthless and ambitious to the point that once he hears that Malcolm is the heir to the throne, he says:
The prince of Cumberland! That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires (1.4. 55-58).
From the moment, Macbeth kills Duncan, he has already committed a crime in which he is a traitor to his country, his benefactor, and his guest. Macbeth was not able to control the prophecy but his actions in trying to fulfill it were his own choices. Macbeth’s obsession with power and keeping it safe leads him to kill Macduff’s family, and Banquo. By trying so hard to become king, he inevitably made sure that he would be the first and last king of his line. He becomes paranoid with losing this power and this is especially prominent when he says: To be thus is nothing,
But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be feared …show more content…
OEDIPUS: You’re a dead man if I have to ask again (1279-81).
SHEPHERD: Oh no, I’m right at the edge, the horrible truth—I’ve got to say it!
OEDIPUS: And I’m at the edge of hearing horrors, yes, but I must hear (1285-7).
Oedipus feels no fear for the truth and despite these multiple warnings he still insisted on finding out the truth. If Oedipus had only agreed to be banished from Thebes, he would have been saved from the consequences that would entail, but his actions and stubbornness made this impossible. Oedipus is hubristic enough to believe that he can avoid the prophecy and because he tried so hard to stop the prophecy from coming true, he sealed his own fate. When he learns of his prophecy, he runs away from Corinth in an attempt to outmaneuver the prophecy, and is being punished for defying the gods. When he finds out that Polybus is dead, he says:
They winged me on to the murder of my father, did they? That was my doom?
Well look, he’s dead and buried, hidden under the