Jocasta portrays the role of both mother and wife in the Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, by Sophocles.

The
relationships conveyed in the play are very controversial, as Oedipus is both a son and husband to Jocasta. There are
many different interpretations of Jocasta, her relationship to her son, and the characters’ knowledge of the situation.
Many believe that Jocasta was aware of the fact that Oedipus was her son, while it is still common thought that she was
oblivious. One also questions Jocasta’s faith as a Greek woman. Jocasta represents many different ideas to different
people.
Before the play begins, Jocasta and her husband, Laius, were given a prophecy that their son will grow up to kill his
father and marry his mother. In an attempt to defy fate and avoid this catastrophe, the couple gives their son to a
shepherd who binds the baby by the ankles and leaves him to die on an isolated mountain. Unknown to Jocasta and
Laius, the baby is rescued by a second shepherd and given to Polybus and Merope of Corinth. There, the baby,
named Oedipus, grows into a man and learns of the prophecy that was once told to his biological parents, although he
still knew nothing of them. Thinking that the prophecy implies the murder of Polybos and marriage with Merope,
Oedipus flees from Corinth and travels to Thebes, killing a man along the way. When he arrives in Thebes, he married
the widowed Queen, Jocasta.
When the play opens, the people of Thebes are distraught over the murder of their former King, Laius. Oedipus
declares that he will find the man guilty of committing this crime and will bring him to justice. Through the enlightenment
of prophets and witnesses, it is discovered that Oedipus is, in fact, the murderer he has been searching for, and the son
of Jocasta and Laios. Upon learning this news, Jocasta hangs herself the bedroom that she has shared with both her
husband and her son. Oedipus takes two brooches from Jocasta’s dress and uses them to pierce his eyes and blind
himself.
One interpretation advanced by critics and readers is that Jocasta has been aware of the fact that Oedipus is her son
from the beginning. There are many points during the play where Oedipus talks of his past. He tells Jocasta of the
prophecy that his parents received when he was a baby, which, needless to say is the same prophecy she and Laios
received when Oedipus was born. Though completely obvious to the audience or the reader, Jocasta seems to be
entirely oblivious to the unmistakable similarities between the two situations. This could be a disguise for the truth that
she is fully aware of, and that she wants to pretend does not exist. One of her lines could possibly imply Jocasta’s
acceptance of incestuous mother-son marriages. When Oedipus admits that he has always been afraid of the truth in
the prophecy of marrying his mother, Jocasta brushes the fear aside, saying, “Why should the thought of marrying your
mother make you so afraid? This is also true in contemporary society, as sexual dreams suggest a feeling of love and
intimacy that is not necessarily sexual. Sexual dreams certainly do not represent always represent one’s subconscious
desires. She also concludes by saying, “See your dreams for what they are-- nothing, nothing at all”. These lines are
intended to be consoling, more than likely simply Jocasta’s way of trying to allay Oedipus’ fears instead of stating her
acceptance of incest.
Jocasta also discourages his search for the truth about his past. This is Jocasta’s final scene of the play, in which
the messenger (the second shepherd) comes to Thebes to tell Oedipus of how he was found as a baby. This is the
climax of the play, when the truth begins to be revealed. At first Jocasta implores Oedipus to forget about what the
messenger has said, trying to persuade him that “It’s not worth talking about”. As he keeps pressing the matter, Jocasta
becomes more adamant, saying “No Oedipus! No more questions. For god’s sake, for the sake of your own life!”
However, a more widely accepted interpretation is that Jocasta realizes the truth as it is uncovered during the play.
She has had no ulterior motive in marrying her son. It is probable that she may have been putting the pieces together
throughout the play, but does not want to jump to any conclusions until she is sure of the circumstances. During her
final scene, she doesn’t want Oedipus to know the truth because she loves him and doesn’t want him to suffer. Once
she learns the truth she knows that she will kill herself, but she doesn’t want Oedipus to learn for she knows of the great
anguish it would cause him. In her final lines, Jocasta cries, “Oh, Oedipus, Oedipus, I pray to god you never see who
you are!” and finally, “God help you, Oedipus- you were born to suffer, born to misery and grief”. This shows her love
and pity for Oedipus, and her maternal (and perhaps wifely) instinct to protect him from pain.
One also questions Jocasta’s faith in the gods in the play, which appears to be constantly changing. She and Laius
obviously must have had an abundance of faith to be willing to murder their son because of the word of a prophet.
However, during her first scene, Jocasta explains to Oedipus that “no mortal can practise the art of prophecy, no man
can see the future” (p. 55, line 934). She then supports her statement by telling Oedipus that the prophecy she was
given about her son growing to kill his father and marry his mother never came to happen. Later in the play, though,
Jocasta gives an offering of incense and a branch to the gods, asking them to protect Oedipus and her. This proves
that she does in fact possess faith in the gods. It seems that perhaps her faith in the gods is unchanging, though her
beliefs in prophecies vacillates. The fact that her faith can fluctuate so drastically reveals much about Jocasta as a
person. She may not have any notion or firm belief as to what is right and wrong, and even if she does, she might
choose not to follow those mores.