Jocasta
Extended Character Analysis
Jocasta is the Queen of the city of Thebes and Creon’s sister. She is also Oedipus’s mother and wife, though neither she nor Oedipus knows this until too late. Just as Oedipus suffers a tragic downfall, so does Jocasta. However, unlike Oedipus, Jocasta attempts to shroud herself in ignorance. She cautions Oedipus against trusting oracles and pursuing knowledge. She wholeheartedly believes that her and King Laius’s painful decision to send the baby Oedipus away circumvented the prophecy. making the fulfillment of the prophecy all the more tragic.
Queen Jocasta is sensible and outspoken. She chides Oedipus and Creon for getting into petty arguments when the Theban people are dying of the plague. She is positioned as a mediator, someone who brings balance to Oedipus’s temper and pride, encouraging him to see Creon as an ally instead of an opponent. She also urges him to avoid trusting prophets too much, claiming that the gods will do as they will and that prophecies are not always true. As evidence, she cites the prophecy that her own child would kill his father and marry her, not realizing that it has come true despite her attempts to avoid it.
Jocasta does not know that Oedipus is her son. However, her attempts to shield him from the truth of his identity can be interpreted as a maternal desire to protect his innocence. She beseeches him to cease his quest for information, but to no avail. Combined with her role as a mediator between Creon and Oedipus, Jocasta’s chief goal seems to be to keep her family—and her country—together. However, once it becomes clear that Oedipus will not be deterred from pursuing information, Jocasta is forced to confront her guilt. Unable to handle the shame of having committed incest, she hangs herself, and Oedipus uses the brooches from her dress to blind himself.
Much like Oedipus, Jocasta is a tragic figure because her actions lead to her downfall. Whether she is a victim of fate or a victim of her own hubris is up to interpretation. Much like Oedipus, Jocasta is guilty of hubris, or attempting to defy the gods. Rather than accepting the delphic oracle’s—and by extension, Apollo’s—will, she and Laius attempt to change fate by leaving their infant son to die on the mountain. She further insults the gods by dismissing their prophets as unreliable.
However, Jocasta is ultimately as ignorant of her sins as her son, Oedipus. She tries to change fate in defiance of prophecy but ultimately fulfills the will of the gods without even realizing it. The overarching theme of Jocasta’s story seems to be the futility of struggling against fate. What distinguishes her from Oedipus is that she does not seem to accept accountability for her role in the tragedy. This denies the audiences true catharsis, or emotional release. For audiences to experience a culminating catharsis, the tragic figure must complete the cycle of tragedy, arriving at a renewed and humbled relationship with the gods. Oedipus’s story completes the cycle but Jocasta’s does not. Oedipus acknowledges his own folly and returns to the stage blind but enlightened. Jocasta dies offstage, unable to live with the guilt wrought by her sins.
Expert Q&A
Can you explain this quote by Jocasta in Oedipus Rex?
"Fear? What should a man fear? Is all chance, chance rule's our lives. Not a man on earth can see a day ahead, groping through the dark."
The quote by Jocasta in Oedipus Rex reflects her belief that humans cannot control their fate, as life is governed by chance. She tells Oedipus that fearing the future is pointless because people are "groping through the dark," unaware of what lies ahead. This statement is ironic because the prophecy about Oedipus inevitably comes true, highlighting the power of fate over free will.
Why does Jocasta want Oedipus to stop investigating his birth?
Jocasta wants Oedipus to stop investigating his birth because she fears the possibility that she has married her own son. In "Oedipus Rex," Jocasta believes that her son, prophesied to kill King Laius, died in infancy, and she is anxious about the potential truth of the oracle's prediction. Her attempts to dissuade Oedipus from discovering the truth are driven by her fear of confirming an incestuous relationship.
Why did Oedipus's mother commit suicide?
In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus's mother hangs herself because she figures out, before Oedipus does, that they are related by blood and not just marriage. Once she realizes that he is actually her son, she is horrified and prays that he never learns his true identity. She then goes alone inside the palace and takes her own life.
Is Jocasta in Oedipus Rex a generalized queen or a distinctive individual?
Jocasta in "Oedipus Rex" is a distinctive individual, not a generalized queen. Her character evolves from a confident queen to a tragic figure overwhelmed by fate. Initially sensible and skeptical of prophecies, she tries to mediate conflicts and reassure Oedipus. However, as the truth of her relationship with Oedipus unfolds, Jocasta experiences profound shame and grief, ultimately leading her to suicide. Her dynamic character development highlights her depth and individuality.
Is Jocasta a "flat" character or an individual with distinctive traits in the play?
What important function does Jocasta serve in Oedipus Rex beyond being Oedipus's mother/wife?
The important function that Jocasta plays in Oedipus Rex is that of foreshadowing Oedipus’s eventual discovery of the terrible truth of his parentage. She’s the first character in the play to put two and two together, long before Oedipus himself will finally realize that he’d married his mother and murdered his father.
What are Jocasta's strengths and weaknesses in Oedipus Rex?
Jocasta in Oedipus Rex is basically a good person who finds it difficult to face hard truths. Her main strength can be considered her main weakness. She tries to avoid conflict, which makes her an effective mediator. However, she tends to take this avoidance too far, leaving herself unequipped to solve the serious problems that arise. Her poor decision to abandon her child stemmed from concern for her husband’s life, but she refused to consider the likelihood of dire consequences.
Did Jocasta know she was Oedipus's mother?
In Oedipus Rex, Jocasta did not know that she was Oedipus's mother until the messenger from Corinth confirmed that Oedipus was not Polybus's biological son and shared the details of how Oedipus came to be adopted by Polybus.
In Oedipus Rex, how does the revelation of Oedipus' identity affect Jocasta?
The revelation of Oedipus' identity deeply affects Jocasta, as she realizes the truth before Oedipus does. She begs him to stop his search for knowledge, fearing the consequences. Despite her pleas, Oedipus continues his quest, driven by pride. Jocasta, overwhelmed by the revelation, retreats into the palace, where she takes her own life by hanging. Her tragic end underscores the devastating impact of the truth on her life and family.
In Oedipus Rex, how and why do Jocasta and Oedipus commit offstage violence?
In "Oedipus Rex," Jocasta and Oedipus commit offstage violence due to the revelation of their incestuous relationship. Jocasta hangs herself upon realizing she married her son, while Oedipus blinds himself with her brooches after discovering his true identity. These acts occur offstage to adhere to religious norms against depicting violence and to follow Aristotle's dramatic unities, which dictated a single setting and action focus, as well as practical staging limitations.
What does Jocasta think of the gods in Oedipus Rex?
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.
