Oedipus and Iocastê

Kevin O'Brien

E110 (53)

Dr. M. Gregolis

4/26/12

Oedipus and Iocastê

Oedipus, King of Thebes, is the husband and the son of Iocastê. He is unaware that he is responsible for the death of his own father, King Laius. Oedipus makes himself to be a superior ruler of higher authority. He is willing to let the gods punish the king’s murder, blind and unaware of his crime. Iocastê has attitudes of common sense, which makes her more elegant than Oedipus. She does not believe that his actions were coincidence and therefore, her attitudes are very different than the attitudes of Oedipus.

In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, the title character is the king of the city of Thebes, whose people are under a mysterious plague. Oedipus has attitudes that make him a leader, a wise individual, and yet a self-centered individual. He claimed Thebes after unknowingly murder the former King and save his city under the dictating control of the Sphinx, leaving him an impression that he is invincible. When news breaks that the former king was murdered, Oedipus pities the murderer and anyone who should associate with him,

“I solemnly forbid the people of this country…ever to receive that man or speak to him, no matter who he is, or let him Join in sacrifice, lustration, or in prayer…As for the criminal, I pray to God—Whether it be a lurking thief, or one of a number—I pray that man’s life be consumed in evil and wretchedness” (Oedipus the King, Scene I, 20-31).

Oedipus also has the attitude to speak before he thinks. He puts the king’s death in the hands of Creon as an attempt to gain control of the throne. Overpowered by his confidence, he defensively tells Creon, “You are the fool, Creon, are you not? Hoping without support or friends to get a throne? Thrones may be won or bought: you could do neither” (Oedipus the King, Scene II, 28-30). Oedipus is overconfident of his power and more judgemental than Iocastê.

Unlike King Oedipus, Iocastê portrays herself as a motherly influence to Oedipus, ironic to say that she is in fact his mother. Iocastê does not feel that violence should not be tolerated. As Oedipus assumes that it was Creon who murdered the King, it is Iocastê who breaks up the verbal fight saying, “Poor foolish men, what wicked din is this? With Thebes sick to death, is it not shameful/That you should rake some private quarrel up?” (Oedipus the King, 118-120). Later on in the play, she confronts her husband after realizing that he turns out to be her son. Instead of answering Oedipus’ questions, concerning about his blind murdering of his father, she calms her down. She councils him with some advice,

“Fear? What should a man fear? It’s all chance, chance rules our lives. Not a man on earth can see a day ahead, groping through the dark. Better to live at random, best we can. And as for this marriage with your mother—have no fear. Many a man before you, in his dreams, has shared his mother’s bed. Take such things for shadows, nothing at all— Live, Oedipus, as if there’s no tomorrow!” (Oedipus the King, 1068–1078).

This hints the love and affection of which Iocastê has of Oedipus, even though he killed her previous husband and had children with her. She feels that everything happens to a person at random and that the Oracle was meaningless. She then curbs Oedipus’ fear and tells him that he has the chance to live his life while he has it. Iocastê is characterized by peace and love. She holds a feministic title, which brings the characters common sense and comfort to Oedipus’ fear.

Oedipus and Iocastê are very different from each other. They take upon different attitudes that make themselves the role models they portray in this dramatic tragedy. Oedipus holds a title that makes him powerful over the citizens. He puts blame on suspicious adversaries without any question. Iocastê does not believe in such power or blame, nor does she believe in any prophecies such as the Oracle’s. Although she comes to terms of who Oedipus is, she still has feelings for him and assesses his situation. Oedipus and Iocastê’s attitudes are different from one another.