“…’What new sorrow do you mean?’...’The queen is dead’…’By whose hand?’...’Her own’…” This is the ending that Queen Jocasta chose for herself in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. Sophocles uses their views on the gods, dramatic Irony, and a Metaphor to show the difference between Jocasta and Oedipus; Where Oedipus is the tragic hero, Jocasta is the coward.
As we’re reading the play, we as the readers begin to realize what a big role the gods play in the lives of Jocasta and Oedipus. Throughout the play Jocasta is seen to defy and think she has out-smarted the gods. She believes that by killing her son, the one who was to kill his father and marry his mother, she would prevent the prophecy from happening. The following quote shows Jocasta’s confidence in her and her husband’s “brilliant” plan, “Thus, Apollo never caused that child to kill his father…This is what prophets and prophecies are worth! (Scene 2, Lines 196-199).” What Jocasta doesn’t know is that the god’s prophecies actually came true and she is in the midst of it.
Oedipus’ view of the gods is similar but different to Jocasta’s view on the gods. Oedipus who flees from the country he was raised in because he feared the prophecy that the gods placed on him shows that he believes that the gods are powerful, and mandate what happens in his life. But when Oedipus’ supposed father, the king of Corinth, dies from natural causes, Oedipus begins to change his view on the gods. He now believes that he was able to out-smart the gods because he wasn’t the cause of his supposed father’s death, but he still feared that the gods might fulfill the second part of the prophecy, where he would lay with his mother. “They prophesized that I should kill Polybos, kill my own father; he is dead and buried and I am here…And yet—must I fear my mother’s bed? (Scene 3 Lines 54-63).” The quote above clearly shows Oedipus’ thought that he out-smarted half of the god’s prophecy, but he still feared the fulfillment of the second half.
Even before Jocasta enters into the play we know more about her than she knows about herself. Sophocles uses dramatic irony to intensify the outcome of what the characters do. When Jocasta comes into the play we already know that her idea of out-smarting the gods has failed, and that the prophecy given to her and her husband about their son has come true. Still, we would like to see how her search to find the truth leads to the choice she makes in the end. But as the play progresses we find that Jocasta seems to want to avoid figuring out the truth, not yet because she knows the truth, but because she is afraid of what she will find out. In contrast, Oedipus is one who goes in search of his truth no matter what it’ll cost him. Near the end Jocasta finds out that her worst fears have come true, and that in fact the prophecy came true, but she wants to stop everyone else from discovering. Oedipus, on the other hand keeps pushing and pulling information out of everyone until he hears what will satisfy his thirst for the truth.
One of the biggest metaphors used in this play was that of having perfect eyesight, but still being blind. Teiresias, a blind prophet (another use of irony), is called by Oedipus so that the person who killed Laios is revealed. When Teiresias accuses Oedipus of the crime, Oedipus of course denies it, for he doesn’t know his own fate yet. Teiresias then blames Oedipus of being blind to the truth and what is right in front of him. “But I say that you, with both your eyes, are blind: You cannot see the wretchedness of your life… (Scene 1, Lines 196-197).” Oedipus may be called blind by the prophet, but his search for the truth will cure him of this malignity little by little. As for Jocasta, she knows that she is blind to a secret truth, but is too worried of what she might find out to actually try and cure herself.
Above you may recall I mentioned how Oedipus is the tragic hero, and Jocasta is the coward. Well, Oedipus was brave and went in look for what his truth was no matter what the consequences involved. Once Oedipus found out of his terrible fate, he took it upon himself to punish himself for what he had done, in other words he takes on the consequences like a man, and this is why he is the tragic hero; because even though he was arrogant and suffered the terrible fate, he didn’t shy away from his consequences.
Jocasta on the other hand didn’t go looking for her truth, she was afraid of what she would find out. On top of that, she tried to prevent everyone else from figuring out the truth once she knew what was going on. When everything was out in the open, she chooses to commit suicide, which is an easy way out. She didn’t live to take responsibility for her attempt to out-smart the gods; she ended her life, which diminished the consequences for her actions. This is why Oedipus was the tragic hero of Oedipus Rex, and Jocasta the coward.
As we’re reading the play, we as the readers begin to realize what a big role the gods play in the lives of Jocasta and Oedipus. Throughout the play Jocasta is seen to defy and think she has out-smarted the gods. She believes that by killing her son, the one who was to kill his father and marry his mother, she would prevent the prophecy from happening. The following quote shows Jocasta’s confidence in her and her husband’s “brilliant” plan, “Thus, Apollo never caused that child to kill his father…This is what prophets and prophecies are worth! (Scene 2, Lines 196-199).” What Jocasta doesn’t know is that the god’s prophecies actually came true and she is in the midst of it.
Oedipus’ view of the gods is similar but different to Jocasta’s view on the gods. Oedipus who flees from the country he was raised in because he feared the prophecy that the gods placed on him shows that he believes that the gods are powerful, and mandate what happens in his life. But when Oedipus’ supposed father, the king of Corinth, dies from natural causes, Oedipus begins to change his view on the gods. He now believes that he was able to out-smart the gods because he wasn’t the cause of his supposed father’s death, but he still feared that the gods might fulfill the second part of the prophecy, where he would lay with his mother. “They prophesized that I should kill Polybos, kill my own father; he is dead and buried and I am here…And yet—must I fear my mother’s bed? (Scene 3 Lines 54-63).” The quote above clearly shows Oedipus’ thought that he out-smarted half of the god’s prophecy, but he still feared the fulfillment of the second half.
Even before Jocasta enters into the play we know more about her than she knows about herself. Sophocles uses dramatic irony to intensify the outcome of what the characters do. When Jocasta comes into the play we already know that her idea of out-smarting the gods has failed, and that the prophecy given to her and her husband about their son has come true. Still, we would like to see how her search to find the truth leads to the choice she makes in the end. But as the play progresses we find that Jocasta seems to want to avoid figuring out the truth, not yet because she knows the truth, but because she is afraid of what she will find out. In contrast, Oedipus is one who goes in search of his truth no matter what it’ll cost him. Near the end Jocasta finds out that her worst fears have come true, and that in fact the prophecy came true, but she wants to stop everyone else from discovering. Oedipus, on the other hand keeps pushing and pulling information out of everyone until he hears what will satisfy his thirst for the truth.
One of the biggest metaphors used in this play was that of having perfect eyesight, but still being blind. Teiresias, a blind prophet (another use of irony), is called by Oedipus so that the person who killed Laios is revealed. When Teiresias accuses Oedipus of the crime, Oedipus of course denies it, for he doesn’t know his own fate yet. Teiresias then blames Oedipus of being blind to the truth and what is right in front of him. “But I say that you, with both your eyes, are blind: You cannot see the wretchedness of your life… (Scene 1, Lines 196-197).” Oedipus may be called blind by the prophet, but his search for the truth will cure him of this malignity little by little. As for Jocasta, she knows that she is blind to a secret truth, but is too worried of what she might find out to actually try and cure herself.
Above you may recall I mentioned how Oedipus is the tragic hero, and Jocasta is the coward. Well, Oedipus was brave and went in look for what his truth was no matter what the consequences involved. Once Oedipus found out of his terrible fate, he took it upon himself to punish himself for what he had done, in other words he takes on the consequences like a man, and this is why he is the tragic hero; because even though he was arrogant and suffered the terrible fate, he didn’t shy away from his consequences.
Jocasta on the other hand didn’t go looking for her truth, she was afraid of what she would find out. On top of that, she tried to prevent everyone else from figuring out the truth once she knew what was going on. When everything was out in the open, she chooses to commit suicide, which is an easy way out. She didn’t live to take responsibility for her attempt to out-smart the gods; she ended her life, which diminished the consequences for her actions. This is why Oedipus was the tragic hero of Oedipus Rex, and Jocasta the coward.
Thesis Classwork
Trumbo Thesis:
Trumbo uses selection of detail to characterize the relationship between father and son as caring and understanding.
Pancake Paper Thesis:
Sophocles uses their views on the gods, dramatic Irony, and a Metaphor to show the difference between Jocasta and Oedipus; Where Oedipus is the tragic hero, Jocasta is the coward.
Trumbo Thesis:
Trumbo uses selection of detail to characterize the relationship between father and son as caring and understanding.
Pancake Paper Thesis:
Sophocles uses their views on the gods, dramatic Irony, and a Metaphor to show the difference between Jocasta and Oedipus; Where Oedipus is the tragic hero, Jocasta is the coward.
Prewriting Classwork
Trumbo Pre-write
-Selection of Detail
+Rod
*The only valuable thing that his father owned
*Sent it out to be cleaned
*Entrusted it (rod) in his son—trust
Paper Pre-write
Jocasta:
-Believes fate overrated
-Believes you can cheat fate
+because she thought her baby (Oedipus) dead
-Suicide was her choice
+considered cowardly
*can’t face her fate
-Coward!!!
COMPARISON
Oedipus:
-Iffy about fate/not sure of it
-Afraid of it
-He takes his fate on and punishes himself
-Tragic Hero!!!
Openers for Paper
You just found out you slept with your son, what do you do?
“…What new sorrow do you mean?...The Queen is dead.”
How we handle things is what shows who you are as a person.
Should Jocasta be considered a tragic hero? No!
Trumbo Pre-write
-Selection of Detail
+Rod
*The only valuable thing that his father owned
*Sent it out to be cleaned
*Entrusted it (rod) in his son—trust
Paper Pre-write
Jocasta:
-Believes fate overrated
-Believes you can cheat fate
+because she thought her baby (Oedipus) dead
-Suicide was her choice
+considered cowardly
*can’t face her fate
-Coward!!!
COMPARISON
Oedipus:
-Iffy about fate/not sure of it
-Afraid of it
-He takes his fate on and punishes himself
-Tragic Hero!!!
Openers for Paper
You just found out you slept with your son, what do you do?
“…What new sorrow do you mean?...The Queen is dead.”
How we handle things is what shows who you are as a person.
Should Jocasta be considered a tragic hero? No!
OCEC Practice Paragraph
“…’What new sorrow do you mean?’...’The queen is dead’…’By whose hand?’...’Her own’…” This is the ending that Queen Jocasta chose for herself in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. Sophocles uses their views on the gods, dramatic Irony, and a Metaphor to show the difference between Jocasta and Oedipus; Where Oedipus is the tragic hero, Jocasta is the coward.
“…’What new sorrow do you mean?’...’The queen is dead’…’By whose hand?’...’Her own’…” This is the ending that Queen Jocasta chose for herself in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. Sophocles uses their views on the gods, dramatic Irony, and a Metaphor to show the difference between Jocasta and Oedipus; Where Oedipus is the tragic hero, Jocasta is the coward.
Conclusion
Jocasta and Oedipus took their truths differently. Jocasta committed suicide and refused to take on responsibility for what she did. Oedipus on the other hand took on his fate and the consequences that came with it. That’s what makes Oedipus a tragic hero, he wasn’t afraid to take on responsibility. And that’s what makes Jocasta a coward, instead of facing her responsibility she avoided it with suicide.
Jocasta and Oedipus took their truths differently. Jocasta committed suicide and refused to take on responsibility for what she did. Oedipus on the other hand took on his fate and the consequences that came with it. That’s what makes Oedipus a tragic hero, he wasn’t afraid to take on responsibility. And that’s what makes Jocasta a coward, instead of facing her responsibility she avoided it with suicide.
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