Role of Women in Greek Tragedy - Research Paper Example

Below are four tales of tragic events associated to the women’s inherent flaws. 2. Prometheus Bound: The Role of Pandora in the Release of Evil Prometheus, an immortal god, is the creator of the human race. He stole fire from the temple of Zeus and gave it back to men, despite awareness that the supreme god will be infuriated. As punishment for his crime, Prometheus was sent to severely suffer to a mountain in Scythia for thirty thousand years. The fire thief was bound in an iron chain while an eagle delivered by Zeus ate his liver out during the day.

The liver, or some say the heart, constantly grows back at night to be feasted on again by the wicked bird. As this did not appease his anger, Zeus ordered Hephaestus to “mould a virgin, Pandora, of earth, whom Athena adorned with all the charms calculated to entice mortals” (Theoi.com). Pandora, as she is named, was sent to Epimetheus to become his wife. Pandora is said to be the first woman on Earth, indicted for having casted evil upon the mortal souls as stated by Hesiod, “for from her is the descent of female women (for the race and tribes of women are destructive,) a great pain for mortals, living with men, companions not of destructive Poverty but of Plenty” (Hes. Theog. 521). . 3.

Oedipus Rex: The Role of Jacosta in the Doom of Oedipus A prophecy forewarned the king of Thebes, Lauis, that his son by Jocasta will murder him. To escape such a tragedy, he tied the infant’s ankles and commanded a shepherd to leave it to die at Mount Cithaeron. Taking pity on the innocent soul, the shepherd instead brought him to Polybus, king of Corinth and wife Merope. They raised the child as their own and called him Oedipus. Intrigued by questions about his true identity, and with his adopted parents standing firm on the deception that he is their own, Oedipus consulted the oracle of Apollo at Delphi.

Oedipus was told that he is fated to take the life of his father and make a wife of his own mother. Horrified of what awaits him in what he thought was his birth land, Oedipus left Corinth, determined never to return. On his journey to Thebes, he came upon Laius and had him killed when a squabble over pride sets in, inadvertently fulfilling part of the prophecy. At the time, Thebes was in state of trepidation on account of a man-eating Sphinx, thus unable to pay enough attention to the death of its king.

Oedipus, however, brought the Sphinx’s reign of terror to an end by answering its riddle about the phases of human life. Consequently, Oedipus was granted the right to the throne and the hand of Jacosta, widow to Laius and mother to Oedipus, in marriage. Jocasta, upon realization of the bitter truth, hanged herself to death. She could have prevented the fulfilment of the prophecy had she performed her duty as a mother to a helpless infant. Oedipus would not have to leave Thebes, loved her as any righteous son would, and valued the life of his own sire.

In addition she failed at acquiring justice over the death of her