Queen Jocasta as a Tragic Character in Oedipus Rex
Queen Jocasta is one of Greek mythology’s most ill fated characters. In the beginning of the play, Oedipus Rex, she and her husband learn that their child is destined to kill his father and marry his mother. So,in order to save avoid this catastrophe ,they leave the child out in the wilderness to die. Little does Jocasta know that a kindly herdsman has rescued the child and Baby Oedipus has been adopted by a King and Queen from another state. Years later, when Oedipus finally hears the the prophecy that he will murder his father and marry his mother, he also tried to circumvent fate by running away from his adopted family in Corinth to avoid the possibility of killing them. Jocasta becomes a participant in the story ony after fate has taken its course. She is unaware of the fact that her present husband is her own son Oedipus who she and her husband has sent to death years ago. After accusing Creon of conspiracy and treason, Oedipus relates to Jocasta the details of his meeting with Tiresius. Jocasta proceeds to plant doubts of the Gods by telling Oedipus the story of the Delphian Oracle and the circumstances surrounding Laius' death. We sense a tinge of arrogance as she tells Oedipus about how they defied the Gods : "An oracle came to Laius on fine day ... and it declared that doom would strike him down at the hands of a son, our son, to be born of our own flesh and blood." Then she says, "There you see? Apollo brought neither to pass. My baby no more murdered his father than Laius suffered—his worst fear—death at his own son's hands." All she sees in the past is the loss of her son, and the death of her husband by "robbers." Again, after Polybus' death, she excitedly tells Oedipus that his prophecy was obviously untrue, though it wasn't, and by doing so she attempts to hint that the oracles - and thus the Gods as false. Throughout the play, Jocasta tested the beliefs of those around her by