Concept:
‘Oedipus Rex' is one of the greatest tragedies written by the ancient Greek dramatist Sophocles. The play is considered a masterpiece of classical tragedy because of:
• Strong dramatic structure,
• Psychological depth,
• Themes of fate and destiny,
• Emotional intensity and tragic conflict.
The drama revolves around King Oedipus and the tragic discovery of his own identity.
Step 1: Understanding the major characters in ‘Oedipus Rex'.
Sophocles included several important characters in the play, such as:
• Oedipus -- the king of Thebes,
• Jocasta -- queen of Thebes and mother-wife of Oedipus,
• Creon -- Jocasta's brother,
• Tiresias -- the blind prophet.
Each character plays a major role in revealing the tragic truth.
Step 2: Learning about Jocasta, Tiresias, and Creon.
• Jocasta is one of the central characters of the drama.
• Tiresias is the blind prophet who reveals important truths about Oedipus.
• Creon is an important royal figure connected with the political and family conflict in the play.
Thus, all three are definitely characters in ‘Oedipus Rex'.
Step 3: Understanding who Hecuba was.
Hecuba is a character associated with:
• Greek mythology,
• The Trojan War legends,
• Tragic stories related to Troy.
She was the queen of Troy and appears in works connected with Trojan tragedies, not in Sophocles' ‘Oedipus Rex'.
Step 4: Analyzing all the options carefully.
• Jocasta is part of the play.
• Tiresias is part of the play.
• Hecuba is not part of ‘Oedipus Rex'.
• Creon is part of the play.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
\[
\boxed{\text{Hecuba}}
\]