What are the gender roles that Sophocles establishes for men and women? Based on Jocasta's response to her husband and brother, do you think she is a strong model of how women should act or is she a warning to women? What about Oedipus' or Creon's actions? How do the genders speak to each other and how do they speak to themselves?
Women, based on seeing the role of Jocasta, seem to have a lot of respect in society. Oedipus speaks respectfully to her and even does not mind hearing her opinion. However, he becomes so desperate to learn about his birth that he refuses to do what she wants him to do, or even consider really listening to what she says. Oedipus is always so desperate to do what he wants or believe what he wants that he doesn't listen to anyone else. He does what he wants to or believes what he wants to regardless.
Both genders are very respectful to one another. There is not much reason to think that the women are controlled by the men or vice versa. Both genders (based on seeing Jocasta's and Oedipus' role and interaction with each other) express their opinions to one another and for the most part listen to what one another says. However, this becomes until one or the other wants to do something or believe something so desperately that they do what they want regardless.
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16 years ago
I think you have some really good points and that you answered this question well, but I have to disagree with you just slightly. So you say that basically the men and women during this time are both able to express their opinions to one another, which I agree with, but then you sort of say that both genders can decide what they want to do and then do it. This I do not entirely agree with because obviously from the way Oedipus would not listen to his wife he sort of had the last say. I believe that Oedipus has the right and ability to do whatever he wants whenever, but I get the feeling that if Jocasta wanted to do something that Oedipus did not agree with, that he would have the ultimate say and that would be the end of it. So I think the men and women might be able to share their opinions with one another, but that the men have the ultimate say.
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