Suicide In Oedipus

The Permanent Solution to Life

Suicide is a desperate act that puts forward a clear yet sombre statement to their audience. Keeping this is mind, the question arises, why do people commit suicide? In Sophocles’ play, Oedipus The King¸ Jocasta who is both wife and mother to Oedipus is an excellent example of why one might commit suicide. Jocasta has a prideful attitude which often blinds her and once the truth is revealed, begins to despair. Her hubristic character would set up her fall whilst the presence of despair once the truth is revealed are the cause of her suicide.

Jocasta’s egotistical nature is evident throughout the play and this aspect, along with other features of the play, are what contribute to her unruly demise. She is portrayed

After Jocasta realizes that Oedipus is her child, she immediately attempts to dissuade him from seeking the full truth, “Stop – in the name of god, if you love your own life, call off this search! My suffering is enough” (Sophocles 1164-1166). She abandons all pride, both self-worth and arrogance, in order to beg Oedipus to stop the search. This abandonment of self-image combined with Oedipus’ refusal to stop is likely to cause despair within Jocasta that would result in her suicide. More evidence that the destruction of her pride results in anguish is shown in her actions directly after Oedipus’ refusal. After her suicide, a messenger recollects the events that had just taken place, “Once she’d broken in through the gates, dashing past us, frantic, whipped to fury, ripping her hair out with both hands- Straight to her rooms she rushed, flinging herself across the bridal-bed” (Sophocles 1369-1374). The mention of the bridal bed is significant as she regrets the marriage with Oedipus as well as the soiling of the bridal sheets, or having children with Oedipus. Moreover, the erratic behaviour shows her desperation to look for a way out. The development of despair within Jocasta is caused by the discovery of Oedipus’ birth and contribute to her

Jocasta, being a static character and this is the same personality that causes her to commit suicide. She is both prideful and skeptical of the prophecies foretold and only added to the blindness she endures. However, though a skeptic, she still follows the gods and can be seen praying at Apollo’s altar. However, once she realizes Oedipus is her child, she attempts to protect Oedipus from the truth, but fails and causes more guilt. In addition, the realization of Oedipus’ true parents, she sees her own actions as incorrect. In trying to escape her guilt and atone for her actions, she commits suicide. Jocasta’s untimely suicide was caused by her prideful nature and attempt to be better than everything