Deconstructing the Eternal Tragic in the Tender Gender with Special Reference to Oedipus Rex, King Lear and Mother Courage and Her Children

All societies and cultures around the globe possess certain fixed beliefs which generate from the gender ideology and give rise to gender stereotypes. Conventional patriarchal society has precisely reserved or classified the gender qualities which make man, a “man" and woman, a “woman”. This paper emphasizes the apparently secondary but central role of three female characters of three tragic dramas of three different eras, cultures and languages- Jocasta in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Cordelia in Shakespeare’s King Lear and Kattrin in Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children. These characters, through their perception and reflection of the world around them, most often articulate and structure the identity of the woman worldwide. They rise from the dramatic text to become flesh and blood persons from real life and remain unforgettable. It is observed that women’s lives are enslaved, overpowered and downtrodden by the masculine might, throughout all cultures and eras. The roles of Jocasta, Cordelia and Kattrin are considered to be passive as compared to the protagonists of the respective dramas but their passivity is probably their greatest strength. Through the life-sustaining power of love, they discover the infinite worth of life. Despite their differences, they share a common bond in their tragic fates and their enduring impact on literature and culture.