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Glite Dictionary
Jocasta

Jocasta

1 9.9
The queen of Thebes who unknowingly marries her son Oedipus
  • proper noun
  • /dʒəˈkæstə/
  • NSFW
: Yocasta
  • The story of Jocasta and Oedipus is a central theme in Greek tragedies.
  • Jocasta and Oedipus

Examples

  • Yes, indeed, here was Kadmos, wedged between Jocasta, the unfortunate mother of Oedipus, and Kakia, the unpleasantly named goddess of vice.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • The fatalistic view was well expressed by Jocasta advising Oedipus, "Why should man fear since change is all for him, and he can clearly foreknow nothing?" (Sophocles, Oedipus the King, 977-78).

    Academic text (1992)

  • But Oedipus and Jocasta, his mother and wife have children together.

  • In Greek mythology, Jocasta was the tragic queen of Thebes who married her own son unknowingly.

  • According to legend, Jocasta sought to avoid the tragic fate foretold by the oracle.

Surface Forms

Jocasta main

Etymology

Jocasta comes from ancient Greek and was the name of the queen of Thebes who, without knowing it, married her own son Oedipus. Because of that famous story, Jocasta now brings to mind tragic family secrets and unavoidable fate.