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A review by msand3
Sophocles: Ajax by Sophocles
4.0
What seemed like a simple tragedy of one soldier's suicide and the ensuing discussion of his burial soon became a more nuanced examination of selfishness vs. communal compromise. Ajax chooses to go it alone at every turn, rejecting any help from gods or man. He believes he can win battles or right wrongs on his own. It's a selfishness that isolates him, leading him to the ultimate act of selfishness--taking his own life.
Ironically (and this is where the play became fascinating for me), the community rallies around Ajax in death to ensure the corpse gets the respect that the man didn't receive while alive. They are as selfless as Ajax was selfish. Tecmessa risks her life to ensure their son is safe. Teucer stands up to both political and military leaders to demand Ajax receive a proper burial. The chorus of sailors (representing the entire community) prepare his body for burial. Even Odysseus, the staunchest enemy of Ajax, requests to help in the burial. What comes of Ajax's selfish desire for bloody vengeance? Not violence or strife among the Greeks, but a discussion of what it means to be respectful to noble enemies and, ultimately, how to put aside personal, individual vendettas (like the ones that lead to Ajax's downfall) in order for the community as a whole to function together. Like previous dramas I've read by Sophocles, this one has a subtle lesson that doesn't feel didactic but is very memorable.
Ironically (and this is where the play became fascinating for me), the community rallies around Ajax in death to ensure the corpse gets the respect that the man didn't receive while alive. They are as selfless as Ajax was selfish. Tecmessa risks her life to ensure their son is safe. Teucer stands up to both political and military leaders to demand Ajax receive a proper burial. The chorus of sailors (representing the entire community) prepare his body for burial. Even Odysseus, the staunchest enemy of Ajax, requests to help in the burial. What comes of Ajax's selfish desire for bloody vengeance? Not violence or strife among the Greeks, but a discussion of what it means to be respectful to noble enemies and, ultimately, how to put aside personal, individual vendettas (like the ones that lead to Ajax's downfall) in order for the community as a whole to function together. Like previous dramas I've read by Sophocles, this one has a subtle lesson that doesn't feel didactic but is very memorable.