Jump to content

User:Kimberly.barron/sandbox

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sandbox for Kimberly Barron

Kimberly Barron Wikipedia's Jocasta article for ENGL9876.99[edit]

Analysis of Article[edit]

  1. Go more into depth how Jocasta and Oedipus deal with the prophecy when they are together
  2. Show more of Jocasta's struggles, emotions, etc. with investigation of Oedipus
  3. Add another citation (Wikipedia suggests more citations to this article)
  4. Maybe provide more pictures of Jocasta?

Reading List[edit]

  • Puchner, Martin. (2012). The Norton Anthology of World Literature (Shorter Edition)(Vol.1)

Revised paragraph from article[edit]

Original[edit]

Jocasta handed the newborn infant over to Laius. Jocasta or Laius pierced and pinned the infant's ankles together. Laius instructed his chief shepherd, a slave who had been born in the palace, to expose the infant on Mount Cithaeron. Laius's shepherd took pity on the infant and gave him to another shepherd in the employ of King Polybus of Corinth. Childless, Polybus and his Queen, Merope (according to Sophocles, or Periboea according to Pseudo-Apollodorus), raised the infant to adulthood.[1]

Oedipus grew up in Corinth under the assumption that he was the biological son of Polybus and his wife. Hearing rumors about his parentage, he consulted the Delphic Oracle. Oedipus was informed by the Oracle that he was fated to kill his father and to marry his mother. Fearing for the safety of the only parents known to him, Oedipus fled from Corinth before he could commit these sins. During his travels, Oedipus encountered Laius on the road. After a heated argument regarding right-of-way, Oedipus killed Laius, unknowingly fulfilling the first half of the prophecy. Oedipus continued his journey to Thebes and discovered that the city was being terrorized by the sphinx. Oedipus solved the sphinx's riddle, and the grateful city elected Oedipus as their new king; Oedipus accepted the throne and married Laius' widowed queen Jocasta, fulfilling the second half of the prophecy. Jocasta bore him four children: two girls, Antigone and Ismene, and two boys, Eteocles and Polynices. When his city was struck by a plague, Oedipus learned that it was divine punishment for his patricide and incest. Hearing this news, Jocasta hanged herself.[2] Alternatively, Jocasta endured the burden of disgrace and continued to live in Thebes, committing suicide later after her sons kill one another in a fight for the crown (see Seven Against Thebes).[3]In both traditions Oedipus gouges out his eyes; Sophocles has Oedipus go into exile with his daughter Antigone, but Statius has him residing within Thebes' walls during the war between Eteocles and Polynices.[3]

Revised[edit]

Jocasta is a character famous in Greek myth as both as both the mother and wife of Oedipus after Laius's death in Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey. Being both mother and wife to Oedipus was not a choice for her but rather a result of a complicated series of events throughout the epic poem. She is also the daughter of Menoeceus of Thebes, and the sister of Hipponome and Creon. Jocasta is believed to have lived two generations before the Trojan War. The name "Jocasta" in Indo-European translates to "telling star" (Ἰοκάστη) or "companion star" (Επικάστη). The reference to "star" in both of these translations carries the meaning of a forecast. The name is to be believed to represent the fate that is with you.[4]

Young Laius was of the line of Cadmus and was in Thebes when Amphion and Zethus usurped the throne of Thebes. After many adventures in the Peloponnesus he became king of Thebes when Amphion and Zethus died. The marriage of Jocasta to Laius seemed advantageous due to both Jocasta and Laius being of the line of Cadmus. Jocasta was not able to become pregnant and carry on the line. Laius proceeded to consult an oracle to solve this problem. The oracle then proclaimed that the child Laius fathered would murder him. Laius then rejected Jocasta as well as all women and moved off by himself to prevent this prophecy. Jocasta could not accept this so she conspired to get Laius drunk and slept with him. She became pregnant and Laius became very angry. When a son was born, instead of honoring Jocasta, Laius snatched up the child, then pierced and pinned the infant's ankles together.[4] Laius instructed his chief shepherd, a slave who had been born in the palace, to expose the infant on Mount Cithaeron. Laius's shepherd took pity on the infant and gave him to another shepherd in the employ of King Polybus of Corinth. Childless, Polybus and his Queen, Merope (according to Sophocles, or Periboea according to Pseudo-Apollodorus), raised the infant to adulthood.[1]

Oedipus grew up in Corinth under the assumption that he was the biological son of Polybus and his wife. Hearing rumors about his parentage, he consulted the Delphic Oracle. Oedipus was informed by the Oracle that he was fated to kill his father and to marry his mother. Fearing for the safety of the only parents known to him, Oedipus fled from Corinth before he could commit these sins. During his travels, Oedipus encountered Laius on the road. After a heated argument regarding right-of-way, Oedipus killed Laius, unknowingly fulfilling the first half of the prophecy. Oedipus continued his journey to Thebes and discovered that the city was being terrorized by the sphinx. Oedipus solved the sphinx's riddle, and the grateful city elected Oedipus as their new king; Oedipus accepted the throne and married Laius' widowed queen Jocasta, fulfilling the second half of the prophecy. Jocasta bore him four children: two girls, Antigone and Ismene, and two boys, Eteocles and Polynices. When his city was struck by a plague, Oedipus learned that it was divine punishment for his patricide and incest. Oedipus later learns from his wife Jocasta that Laius was killed on the road before Oedipus had arrived in Thebes. This alarms Oedipus and he proceeds to mention that he may have killed Jocasta's deceased husband, Laius. Jocasta then reveals the fate of the gods that has been given to Laius and herself to Oedipus. This leads Oedipus into a investigation of the prophecy that Jocasta, Lauis, and potentially himself may be involved in to see if the god's fate has come true.[2] When Jocasta realizes Oedipus is her son, she then begs Oedipus to stop his investigation.This was to prevent him from being hurt from revealing her part in the prophecy that she told to Oedipus for him to be killed so that he could not harm herself or Laius.[5] Oedipus later finds out that the fate of the god's has come true and that he was part of the prophecy. Hearing this news, Jocasta hanged herself in her bedroom due to her refusal to be in a incestuous relationship with her son.[2] Alternatively, Jocasta endured the burden of disgrace and continued to live in Thebes, committing suicide later after her sons kill one another in a fight for the crown (see Seven Against Thebes).[3]In both traditions Oedipus gouges out his eyes; Sophocles has Oedipus go into exile with his daughter Antigone, but Statius has him residing within Thebes' walls during the war between Eteocles and Polynices.[3]


Original Contribution[edit]

  • "Jocasta is a character famous in Greek myth as both as both the mother and wife of Oedipus after Laius's death in Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey. Being both mother and wife to Oedipus was not a choice for her but rather a result of a complicated series of events throughout the epic poem.She is also the daughter of Menoeceus of Thebes, and the sister of Hipponome and Creon. Jocasta is believed to have lived two generations before the Trojan War. The name "Jocasta" in Indo-European translates to "telling star" (Ἰοκάστη) or "companion star" (Επικάστη). The reference to "star" in both of these translations carries the meaning of a forecast. The name is to be believed to represent the fate that is with you."[4]
  • "Young Laius was of the line of Cadmus and was in Thebes when Amphion and Zethus usurped the throne of Thebes. After many adventures in the Peloponnesus he became king of Thebes when Amphion and Zethus died. The marriage of Jocasta to Laius seemed advantageous due to both Jocasta and Laius being of the line of Cadmus. Jocasta was not able to become pregnant and carry on the line. Laius proceeded to consult an oracle to solve this problem. The oracle then proclaimed that the child Laius fathered would murder him. Laius then rejected Jocasta as well as all women and moved off by himself to prevent this prophecy. Jocasta could not accept this so she conspired to get Laius drunk and slept with him. She became pregnant and Laius became very angry. When a son was born, instead of honoring Jocasta, Laius snatched up the child, then pierced and pinned the infant's ankles together."[4]
  • "to prevent the fate of the gods from happening."
  • "Oedipus later learns from his wife Jocasta that Laius was killed on the road before Oedipus had arrived in Thebes. This alarms Oedipus and he proceeds to mention that he may have killed Jocasta's deceased husband, Laius. Jocasta then reveals the fate of the gods that has been given to Laius and herself to Oedipus. This leads Oedipus into a investigation of the prophecy that Jocasta, Lauis, and potentially himself may be involved in to see if the god's fate has come true.[2] When Jocasta realizes Oedipus is her son, she then begs Oedipus to stop his investigation.This was to prevent him from being hurt from revealing her part in the prophecy that she told to Oedipus for him to be killed so that he could not harm herself or Laius.[5] Oedipus later finds out that the fate of the god's has come true and that he was part of the prophecy."
  • "in her bedroom due to her refusal to be in a incestuous relationship with her son."

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b Apollodorus. Library, 3.5.7. 3. Sophocles, Oedipus Rex, 1191–1312.
  2. ^ a b c d Sophocles, Oedipus Rex, 1191–1312.
  3. ^ a b c d Statius, Thebaid, Book XI
  4. ^ a b c d The Role of Women in the Art of Ancient Greece. (2014). Jocasta, Mother of Oedipus the King. http://www.rwaag.org/jocasta
  5. ^ a b Puchner, Martin. (2012). The Norton Anthology of World Literature (Shorter Edition)(Vol.1)

1. Homer, Odyssey XI.271–290.

2. Apollodorus. Library, 3.5.7.

3. Sophocles, Oedipus Rex, 1191–1312.

4. The Role of Women in the Art of Ancient Greece. (2014). Jocasta, Mother of Oedipus the King. http://www.rwaag.org/jocasta

5. Puchner, Martin. (2012). The Norton Anthology of World Literature (Shorter Edition)(Vol.1)

6. Hibbison, Eric. (2003). Jocasta's Shame. http://vccslitonline.vccs.edu/oedipusthewreck/Joshame.htm

7.Statius, Thebaid, Book XI

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Kimberly.barron/sandbox&oldid=689914851"