Introduction
The leading females in Oedipus Rex and Death of a Salesman are submissive characters who are unable to avert the imminent tragedies of the dominant protagonists in both the plays. In fact, both works tell the stories of the tragedies that the women characters themselves have to undergo; however, the tragedies of Jocasta in Oedipus Rex and that of Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman are relegated to the background as the primary focus is on the tragedies of their counterparts, namely Oedipus in the former and Willy Loman in the latter. Both Jocasta and Linda Loman are true representatives of the age, myths and traditions to which they belong- Jocasta represents the superstitious Greek women who believe in the supernatural elements like the prophesies and the oracle whereas Linda Loman is a true representative of the American middle class wife who struggles hard to meet both ends. Between the two, Jocasta displays greater perseverance at the odds of life whereas the character and role of Linda Loman in the play is so powerless as to leave any impact on the odds against her husband. However, both of them share the helplessness of being part of a patriarchal society that attributes dominance to the male characters. Thus, both the women characters are destined to undergo sufferings in life and both are doomed in the tragic destiny that awaits them.
Analysis
In Oedipus Rex, the central female character Jocasta’s life is tormented by the prophesy that her son would kill his father and marry her. All her life was an attempt to escape this prophesy by the oracle; however, all her efforts to avert her destiny only drew her closer to it. In the play Jocasta has been instrumental in bringing out the truth, but the realization of the truth makes her a pitiable victim in the play. As Anthony Boyer observes, “Jocasta is a victim in Oedipus Rex, but not as much as she is a catalyst for Oedipus’ own victimization. She keeps her faith throughout and tries to relieve Oedipus of his.” (Boyer). This is evident when she desperately tries to prevent Oedipus from his pursuit of the truth towards the end of the play when she realizes for certain that Oedipus is her own son. During their last meeting when Oedipus states “I must pursue this trail to the end,/Till I have unraveled the mystery of my birth” (Sophocles, p.58), she warns him: “Doomed man! O never live to learn the truth!” (Sophocles, 58). However, Jocasta fails to prevent Oedipus as she couldn’t surmount the indomitable pride and ego of Oedipus and unable to bear her guilty feelings she hangs herself himself. Thus, all throughout the play, Jocasta acts as the sufferer and she is tormented both as a mother and a wife. This double penetration into her inner psyche adds to the dramatic irony of the play. Jocasta also acts as the strongest link in the play to unfold the underlying theme of the story-that of fate, destiny, predestination and foreshadowing.
Death of a Salesman portrays the tribulations and sufferings that a middleclass American family has to undergo in a highly capitalistic society. Unable to cherish his American myth of success, Willy Loman, the protagonist of the play, falls as a prey to the pressures of life. Linda Loman, the central female character in the play, is a typical house wife who is ready to play a secondary role to the men folk. There is no doubt that the women in the play “are secondary to men; specifically, they exist primarily for the male Lomans’ character development. This is shown through the women’s various roles as providing comfort and succor for the men, judgment for the men, a means of keeping score, and a means by which the men can reveal their atures.” (The Roles of Women in Death Salesman). However, one finds Linda offering constant support to Willy and always consoling him in the hours of need. Thus, Arthur Miller depicts an ideal American house wife through the character presentation of Linda. It is also evident from the play that Willy is living in a world of illusion whereas Linda is able to experience the stark realities of life. However, a close reading of the play will reveal Linda as responsible for Willy Loman’s tragedy as it is she who nurtures all his fantasies and makes no cautious efforts to bring him back to reality. Thus, like Jocasta in Oedipus Rex, Linda Loman has been instrumental in causing the tragedy of the protagonist in the play.
Conclusion
To conclude, the study of the women characters in both the plays make it clear that the roles played by Jocasta and Linda Loman in the plays have been significant in the culmination of the tragedies that befell the tragic heroes- Oedipus and Willy Loman. The women in both plays, even though they contribute significantly to the plot of the plays, are presented as feeble and powerless to avert these tragedies that await the protagonists. It is also relevant to note that both the plays offer scope for feminist reading in the modern times as the dramatists have portrayed them with all the character traits of ideal traditional women.
Works Cited
Boyer, Anthony. An Alternative Look at Jocasta in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. The Classic Pages. Web.
Sophocles. The Theban Plays. London & New York: Penguin Books, 1974.
The Roles of Women in Death Salesman. OPPAPERS.COM. 2007. Web.