Tragedy as a genre supposes conflict and the inevitable end of the main protagonists. Figures presented in drama literary pieces are often flawed and have numerous destructive characteristics that lead to severe consequences. It is a complicated task to distinguish heroes among such characters due to the overwhelming amount of negative traits they have. This essay examines female characters’ representation in two ancient Greek plays by Sophocles and a modern play by Rita Dove that follows a similar structure.
Ancient Greek mythology has a surprisingly strong cast of female figures. Jocasta and Antigone are characters of Ancient Greek plays by Sophocles. Both characters are close relatives, with Jocasta being the mother of Antigone; they eventually meet similar fates by committing suicide by the end of the plays. However, their reasoning differs drastically since the former ends her life because of the overwhelming feeling of guilt for her past actions, while the latter dies for her values.
Jocasta in Oedipus Rex is described as a stereotypical ancient Greek woman; however, her stand changes throughout the play. The character is portrayed as a supportive wife who is obeying her husband without resistance and does not do anything without his approval (Sophocles, 2012, p. 22, lines 1030-1031). However, once she learns the truth of the new king’s origins, she attempts to minimize the damage. The character decides to hide the facts from Oedipus, ashamed of the consequences (Sophocles, 2012, p. 28, lines 1263-1264). Once the information can no longer be avoided, she commits suicide, knowing that her husband/son has realized his guilt of patricide and incest (Sophocles, 2012, p. 33, lines 1507-1508). Jocasta’s tragic end did not depend on her actions, rather on the unforeseeable sequence of tragic events since she had no major opportunity to change anything.
Antigone represents a polar opposite approach to women in Ancient Greece. Rather than being submissive and law-obedient, the female protagonist defies the order imposed on her by Creon and buries her brother, Polynices (Sophocles, 2005, p. 4, lines 4-11). The recently deceased is seen as a traitor by Thebes’ population; however, the protagonist still insists on a proper burial, involving herself in a confrontation with Creon, the current king (Sophocles, 2005, pp. 15-16, line 30). Her defiance, indisputable values of kinship and family, as well as the ability to stand against the authority of the current ruler, highlights her determination and lack of fear. This character can be considered a hero because, even though she is aware of her actions’ severe consequences, Antigone still persists in achieving her goal.
The Darker Face of the Earth play written by Rita Dove is based on Oedipus Rex and has a similar plotline and characters in a different setting. The two protagonists are Augustus Newcastle, a young black slave, and Amalia, the plantation mistress. The slaves describe the mistress as a strong independent woman, who has become increasingly cruel after the loss of her firstborn, which makes her different from her predecessor Jacosta. This can be seen in her indifference to the sickness of one of her slaves, Diana, to which she responds with a whip (Dove, 2000, p. 41, Act 1, Scene 1). Augustus is also not aware of his origins and his patricidal fate, in contrast to Oedipus, even though it is often highlighted by Scylla, the slave with prophetic abilities (Dove, 2000, pp. 37-38, Act 1, Scene 1). Amalia and Augustus have affection for each other; however, once the truth behind the latter’s origins becomes known to him, she kills herself, similar to Jacosta.
In conclusion, the representation of female characters in both ancient Greek and modern tragedies is appropriate for its time. Both Jacosta and Amalia are believable characters who act according to their background and societal norms until the burden of guilt overwhelms them. Antigone is a particular case because she does not follow a similar rule and opposes the order imposed on her by the male ruler. Out of three characters, only Antigone can be considered a hero because of her defiance and strong beliefs in kinship and family values.
References
Dove, R. (2000). The darker face of the Earth. Story Line Press.
Sophocles (2005). Antigone. Prestwick House Inc.
Sophocles (2012). Oedipus Rex. Courier Corporation.