The Nature of Iokaste in Oedipus Rex


By Rizal Saryadi

OEDIPUS.                                           So you dared come back.
Why? How brazen of you to come to my house,
You murderer!  (Scene II: Page 16: 22-24)
                                                            Do you think I do not Know
That you Plotted to kill me, plotted to steal my throne?
Tell me, in God’s name: am I coward, a fool,
That you should dream you could accomplish this?
A fool who could not see your slippery game?
A coward, not to fight back when I saw it?
You are the fool, Kreon, are you not? hoping
Without support or friends to get a throne?
Throne may be won or bought: you could do neither. (Page 17: 1-9)

Oedipus is really angry toward Kreon. He scolds Kreon, “That is why I called you a bad friend” (Page 18; 6), as if he still need him, but it’s too late for Kreon to be a good friend because of his mind is really ugly as Oedipus considered. Especially, on the dialogue above, Oedipus is really obvious to charge Kreon that he has plotted to kill and steal his throne. Furthermore, in another quotation of previous dialogues, he has also charged Kreon as the murderer of Laios, the former king of Thebes, conspires with Teiresias, the seer who is showed by Choragos for Oedipus to tell the truth of whom has murdered Laios.

The quotation of such dialogue above is really favorable to the writer to decide the role of Iokaste. The writer is able to demonstrate the nature of Iokaste based on whatever happening between Oedipus and Kreon which the act is considered as a quarrel. 

Iokaste, who is coming from her palace chambers while Oedipus and Kreon are still on their quarrel, is frightened to such serious situation. He is curious about what is happening there, so she approaches them more.

IOKASTE.  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?
[To Oedipus.] Come into the house.
                                                       — And you, Kreon , go now:
Let us have no more of this tumult over nothing. (Page 19: 19-22)
KREON.  Nothing? No, sister: what your husband plans for me
Is one of two great evils: exile or death. (Page 19: 25-26)

On the quote of Iokaste’s statement above, the writer wants to show the readers that Iokasta is very peaceful woman but not so wise to behave the quarrel.  She mocks Oedipus and Kreon as ‘Poor foolish men’ which is not necessary to say such words on that situation. Besides that, she also says ‘nothing’ towards the quarrel between them. It means that she is careless to resolve the situation wisely. In addition, this little saying definitely will come up with a new problem among them. Thus, she may not find the resolution at all.

Besides that, the writer also shows us of her force and defends nature in another dialogue:
Ah, believe it Oedipus!
In the name of gods, respect this oath of his for my sake,
For the sake of these people here! (Page 19: 31-33)

In the dialogue above, Iokaste needs a peace between Oedipus and Kreon. Thus, she forces Oedipus to believe him, even though Oedipus doesn’t expect her present. She is still sure with her statement to believe Kreon because like Chorago’ says that Kreon ‘never spoken like a fool’.

This defends  may be influenced by the kinship between them, Iokaste, Oedipus, and Kreon, which they are a family that should be better not to do some quarrels like a fool. On the contrary, Iokaste defends his brother, not Oedipus, may be just to save him from unexpectedly things because she may probably love his brother more than Oedipus.

In short, the writer tries to show Iokaste’s nature implicitly. The writer doesn’t reveal her nature directly with the point, but shows it by the dialogue among them. In my opinion, in some cases, Iokaste has the nature of peace-loving, lack of wisdom, forces, and strong defends.




    

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