Jim Creus Mrs.
Baldi
English IV 2/18/97
Three Female
Characters in Greek Tragedies
In the times of the ancient Greeks, women had
an unpretentious role. They were
expected to do take on the accepted role of a woman. In most cases, a woman's role is restricted
to bearing young, raising children, and housework. In Sophocles' Oedipus the King, Antigone, and Medea, the dominant
female characters impacted upon men with authority and political power. It is an inescapable fate that one of these
characters will fall, and that the Gods have control over everyone's fate. Each dominant female character portrays her
willpower and commitment to their beliefs.
This is what leads to the inevitable tragedy.
In Oedipus the King, Jocasta, is Oedipus' wife
and the sister of Creon. She became a
part of doomed Theban dynasty when she married Laius, the King of Thebes. As a result, the marriage had brought
together two branches of the family of Cadmus and seemed to guarantee political
strength. She became disappointed
because she was unable to produce an heir to the throne. Seeking a solution, Lauis went to the oracle
at Delphi and asked how the proble might be overcome. Instead, the oracle proclaimed that the son
born to Jocasta would be his murderer.
Upon hearing the prophecy, Lauis rejected all women. This infuriated Jocasta and she had gotten
Lauis drunk, and slept with him. This
proves that Jocasta refuses to be outdone, even by her husband. When Jocasta had given birth to a baby boy
(Oedipus), Lauis had it sent away by a messenger to die of exposure high in the
mountains. A shepherd discovered the boy
and gave it to his master King Polybus.
As years passed, Thebes was plagued by a Sphinx
that sought the answer to a riddle. It
asked for the answer and killed everyone who had guessed incorrectly. This had riddled Thebes' commerce and left
its people disgruntled. To make matters
worse, news reached the city that Lauis had been killed by unknown
assailants. Desperate and in need of
help, Creon (now the regent of Thebes) had offered up the throne and Jocasta to
anyone who could solve the Sphinx's riddle.
In the meantime, Oedipus came across the Sphinx
and solved the riddle. He ended up in
Thebes because he went to the oracle at Delphi just like his father Lauis. Now Oedipus is King of Thebes and another
problem arises, a plague. He searches
far and wide for the solution to save his people. Prophets and wisemen were brought in to help
Oedipus with the plague. It is discovered
that the plague will be lifted when Lauis' death is revenged. Tiresias, an old prophet reveals that Oedipus
is the murderer. Creon too, accuses
Oedipus of the murder. Jocasta stands by
Oedipus' side.
A prophet? . . .
free yourself of every charge! Listen to
me and learn some peace I mind: no skill in the world, nothing human can
penetrate the future. . . .my son wasn't
three days old and the boy's father fastened his ankles, had a henchman fling
him away on a barren, trackless mountain.
Apollo brought neither thing to pass.
My baby no more murdered his father that Lauis suffered- (201)
Here Jocasta
questions the Gods and comforts Oedipus, her dear husband. They do not notice how blind they are because
the Gods are always correct.
"Stange, hearing you just now . . . my
mind wandered, my thought racing back and forth." (201) Oedipus finally begins to realize that his
trip to Delphi begins to coincide with Jocasta's explanation of Lauis' murder. He begins to questions Jocasta frantically. Jocasta explains that a witness of the murder
had been sent into hiding immediately after Oedipus's crowning. Oedipus demands his presence, but Jocasta
begs him to stop his investigation. "Impossible. Trust me, he could never make the murder or
Lauis truly fit the prophecy." (208)
Oedipus starts to realize he had put a curse upon himself when he had
condemned the man who had slain Lauis.
The witness verifies the truth to Oedipus and their stories match.
Jocasta prays to Apollo that Oedipus won't be so worrisome. "What should a man fear? . . . Better to
live at random, Live as if there's no tomorrow!" (215) She wants him to be calm, for she believes he
did not do it.
Both Jocasta and Oedipus are excited to hear
the news of Polybus' passing. This meant
that Oedipus did not kill his father.
The messenger also verifies that Oedipus' father was not Polybus' but
Lauis. "Oh no, I beg you, don't do
this . . .No, please, I want the best for you." (222-3) Oedipus' thirst for the truth is too strong
and he discovers the truth. His mother
is Jocasta and his father is Lauis.
As a result, Jocasta, horrified, runs to her
chambers and hangs herself. Oedipus then
follows after and gauges his eyes. He suffers from his own curse and banishes
himself faraway.
In Antigone, a war if fought and the invading
armies of Argos have been driven from Thebes.
Creon, who is now king, orders that all the dead invaders are to be left
unburied for the birds and beasts.
Antigone, Oedipus' daughter, demands for her brother's proper burial,
despite the Creon's orders. Antigone's
sister, Ismene, on the other hand, is a typical subservient woman. " He has no right to keep me from my
own." (61) Despite the disagreement
between the two sisters, Ismene and Antigone, Antigone will follow through with
some burial rites for her brother.
Ismene agrees to keep Antigone's intentions a secret, but that is
all. Anigone replies, "Dear god,
shout it from the roof tops. I'll hate
you all the more for silence-tell the world!" (64)
The sentry guards report to Creon that
someone has lightly dusted the body with dirt.
Creon is furiated and has Antigone captured and buried alive. Antigone is brave and accepts her
punishment. "I chose to die . . . I
gave myself to death," (88) The prophet
Tireseas predicts more tragedy as a result of Creon's defiance of the
Gods. By not giving a proper burial to
the dead bodies, he is robbing the Gods of the underworld. Creon shakes off his warnings.
Haemon, Creon's son, pleads for Antigone's life
because he is in love with her. Creon
thinks of women in only one way,
Never lose your
sense of judgment over a woman. The
warmth, the rush of pleasure, it all goes cold in your arms, I warn you . . .a
worthless woman in your house, a misery in you bed. Spit her out like a mortal enemy-let the girl
go. (93)
Antigone, in her
tomb, faces her fate with grace.
"Very well: if this if the
pleasures of the gods, once I suffer I will know that I was wrong." (106)
Haemon discovers
Antigone who had strangled herself. He
in turn thrusts himself upon his own sword.
Creon had realized what the Gods demanded and attempted to dig Antigone
out himself but was too late.
In Medea, Medea seeks revenge when her husband
Jason falls for Creon's daughter and marries her. Medea devoted herself to Jason and he lusts
for another woman. "When you were
sent to the fire-breathing bulls, I saved your life; I willingly deceived my
father and left my home with you." (31)
Medea feels that she must exact revenge instead of forgiving and
forgetting. "Trials are yet to come
for this new-wedded pair;" (28)
Creon fears that Medea will harm his daughter so he banishes her. She has all of one day to find a home
elsewhere. Medea faces her exile with
dignity, "Nothing would induce me to have dealings with your friends, nor
to take any gift of yours." (35)
Aegeus, King of Athens, offers her a home in his kingdom for an exchange
for a cure for his sterility. Before
leaving, Medea poisons a crown and a dress, presented by her two children to
the Jason's new wife. She bursts into
flames and dies. For Medeas ultimate
revenge, she kills her two children.
Adding insult to injury, she does not let him bury the children, "I
will convey them to the temple of Hera, I will bury them with my own
hand." (60)
Jocasta, with her ignorance to the prophecies,
and her devotion to Oedipus, act as her spotlight as she breaks the mold of
typical women. Antigone's willpower and
loyalty to the Gods burial demands and her brother portray her as a strong
person. Medea's drive and determination, although not with good intent,
characterizes her as a strong woman. All
three have shown their acceptance of their fate at one time. They stand out in a crowd of subservient
women.
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