I find it very, very (did I say very?) ironic that women were belittled and deprived of their rights yet were essential to many aspects of life, including theater and plays! Around 400 BCE, women possessed few to no rights in daily life. They were not allowed to leave the house, except for a few occasions! Due to this, they could not attend Ancient Greek theater performances and definitely NOT be on stage.
This is where the irony comes in. According to RWAAG, “The actors were usually men. Of course, they turned to the women in their lives as models, because the women in the plays were important.” The male actors would dress up in ways that resembled women. Let us get this straight: Women were seen as way, way, way below men, however they are one of the most important things in plays AND life?? The role of female characters in plays was essential that MEN had to play the role of women. Why not just let women play the part? This a question I will never understand.
In relation to Oedipus, Jocasta, a woman, is the key to the whole play. Without Jocasta, there would be no plot! The plot of the play is as follows: a woman has a son who grows up searching for his mother and finally discovers who she is. Considering women were not allowed on stage at any point, I am curious to how a man pulled this part off. Jocasta is portrayed as the strongest character in the play, up until her death, that holds the most power. However, in reality she is just a woman!
Anyone have anything to add?
1 comment:
I agree! As I read Oedipus I found that Jocasta was the most headstrong character. She was rational, comforting and, in my opinion, the smartest. As Oedipus and Creon’ continue to argue about whether or not Creon were to be killed, Jocasta attempts to bring peace to this disagreement. She also brings a sense of comfort to Oedipus, for she knows what to say throughout his rage and irrational thinking: by telling him that prophesies aren't always real. But she is also the first to realize that the prophecy has come true and that Oedipus is her son and has killed her husband. Even though she has figured out this “riddle”, she still strives to protect Oedipus from this horrendous truth. Whether or not she is the “main character”, she is the core of this story and the development of the plot. Although she does have an unfortunate death, I feel that Jocasta leaves a mark on this story and highlights the importance and power a woman can hold.
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