Oedipus Rex · Character

Jocasta

Thebes's queen, widow of Laius and wife of Oedipus, who steers her husband's investigation while quietly carrying the past he cannot see.

major

Also known as Enter Jocasta

First appearance: Dramatis Personae

As a major figure in Oedipus Rex, Jocasta is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Listed as a character in the dramatis personae.

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Jocasta stands at the center of Thebes's royal house — sister to Creon, mother of Oedipus's children, and the one person who remembers the city before the plague. When Oedipus's search for Laius's killer begins to circle too close, she offers comfort and skepticism, urging him to ignore prophets and oracles whose predictions, she insists, have failed before. Her composure and her buried history make her both the story's calmest voice and its most fragile fault line.

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See Jocasta in Dramatis Personae

Character Web

7 connections

A slice of how Jocasta sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Family
Psychological
Professional

Character groups

Truth Revealers and Seekers
Protagonist

+2 more in the full Character Web

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Relationships

Laius
family · ambivalent
Jocasta and Laius were married, and their relationship is defined by shared rule and the… How this plays out →
Creon
family · positive
Oedipus
family · ambivalent
Apollo
psychological · negative
Herdsman
professional · negative
Polybus
social · positive
Herdsman
professional · negative
Creon
family · positive
Oedipus
family · ambivalent
Laius
family · ambivalent
Jocasta and Laius were married, and their relationship is defined by shared rule and the… How this plays out →
Apollo
psychological · negative
Apollo
psychological · negative

Laius
Jocasta and Laius were married, and their relationship is defined by shared rule and the tragic prophecy concerning their son Oedipus.
Creon
Creon is Jocasta's brother, and they share a bond of loyalty and concern for Thebes, though Creon often acts as a stabilizing force in her life.
Oedipus
Jocasta is Oedipus's mother and later his unwitting wife, a relationship that becomes the central tragic irony of the play.
Apollo
Apollo's prophecy dominates Jocasta's fate, as she tries to defy his oracle but ultimately becomes a victim of its fulfillment.
Herdsman
The Herdsman was a servant in Jocasta's household, and his testimony shatters her denial of the prophecy involving her son.
Polybus
Jocasta and Polybus are connected through Oedipus's adoption, with Polybus being the king who raised Oedipus as his own son.
Herdsman
The Herdsman was a servant in Jocasta's household, and his testimony shatters her denial of the prophecy involving her son.
Creon
Creon is Jocasta's brother, and they share a bond of loyalty and concern for Thebes, though Creon often acts as a stabilizing force in her life.
Oedipus
Jocasta is Oedipus's mother and later his unwitting wife, a relationship that becomes the central tragic irony of the play.
Laius
Jocasta and Laius were married, and their relationship is defined by shared rule and the tragic prophecy concerning their son Oedipus.
Apollo
Apollo's prophecy dominates Jocasta's fate, as she tries to defy his oracle but ultimately becomes a victim of its fulfillment.
Apollo
Apollo's prophecy dominates Jocasta's fate, as she tries to defy his oracle but ultimately becomes a victim of its fulfillment.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Jocasta in Dramatis Personae

In the story

Jocasta appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Dramatis Personae

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Jocasta unlock in the free preview.

See Jocasta in Dramatis Personae