Sophocles: Journal 3

Gender Roles

I think that Sophocles establishes that women are just as respected as men. Oedipus is respectful towards Jocasta, at least at first, and he listens to what she says. I think that Sophocles is trying to use Jocast as an example because she does voice her opinions and she demands to be heard. Maybe Sophocles had been seeing too many women giving up thier voice and opinions so that they can be easily manipulated. Oedipus refuses to listen to Jocasta when things aren't going his way. But he has done this before, showing the equality he holds for men and women. So there really isn't a huge gap that Sophocles creates between men and women, if anything he brings them closer to equals.