Compare and contrast the reaction of Oedipus to the oracle and that of Macbeth to the witches prophesies. Consider the role of their wives and the final outcome of each protagonist and his wife.

The role of fate is often very great in tragedies, especially Greek tragedies. Usually, if one, the protagonist, is adherent to his/her own fate it could determine the course of action throughout the entire piece of literature. In Macbeth, one of Shakespeare's famous tragedies, as well as, Sophocles's Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, the protagonists react in similar ways to prophesies told to them one by an oracle, and the other by three witches. …

…the thought of his crimes tormented him. In fact, even before he commits his crimes the thought of them makes him miserable. <Tab/>In conclusion, both Oedipus and Macbeth couldn't change the future that the oracle and witches predicted. Their wives, Jocasta and Lady Macbeth couldn't change the future either. In an attempt to change fate, they set the course of the story into action and all the prophecies came true.