Corruption Of Power In Macbeth And Oedipus The King

The consequence of corrupting power does not only affect the monarchs, but also their families. The families of three monarchs committed suicide and abandoned them as they are ashamed of those princes. Macbeth does not believe in the ties of loyalty and brotherhood which causes his soldiers and subject not to put faith in his master. When MacDuff’s and Malcom’s armies came to attack his castle, Macbeth’s soldiers refuse to stay loyal to him as they cannot feel attached to him. The soldiers who once fought by Macbeth’s side express how “those who command move only in command, nothing in love” (Shakespeare 72). In addition, Iokaste kills herself as she is ashamed of Oedipus, and afraid of getting her reputation tarnished. The throne of Oedipus is depended on how people think about him; his ability to maintain power is not by his merits. Machiavelli develops an argument how “a wise Prince should build on what is his own, and not on what rests with others” (Machiavelli 45). As a result, the truth of Oedipus’ birth and background brought dishonor upon his families, thus causing Iokaste’s death and the loss of his eyesight. Furthermore, Creon has suspicious and controlling nature, which causes his family to loathe him. Creon attempts to fix his mistakes at the last minute, but Haemon’s hatred
is profound that he tries to kill his own father; but Haemon fails, and with anger, he commits suicide. After discovering that Haemon has died, Creon’s wife also takes her life as well. At the last breath of her life, she “[calls] out evil things against [Creon], the killer of [their] sons” (Sophocles 27). The surrounding individuals around Macbeth, Oedipus, and Creon are unable to escape the plague of that three monarchs caused by their corruption of power. Macbeth, Oedipus, and Creon are once intelligent men and fearless warrior, but their obsession to acquire absolute power and control cause their destruction as the princes of the country and the man of the family.
They accuse their subjects when they are at faults, and they betray their families and friends without a shred of remorse. Macbeth gains the throne by killing his friends; Oedipus is ignorant of his faults; Creon’s reasoning is obstructed by vanity. Their methods of maintaining power is erroneous, and they violate all the proposals and formula that Machiavelli suggested. Their imprecise responses to the political upheavals caused them to lose their kingdoms and
authority.