Ajax, in response to Riess, part 1
I certainly agree that it has started out very eventfully. I think that Tecmessa is just terrified of Ajax, and it makes sense. She didn’t exactly get to choose whether or not she wanted to marry him, she’s a prisoner. I think she has every reason to avoid telling Ajax, and I don’t think he has a good reason to be mad at her. I think that Athena was just trying to protect Odysseus and his army. I wonder how far into the future Athena can see. Does she know for a fact that Ajax won’t hurt Odysseus? And why does Ajax think that Athena would support him in this endeavor? He does know that Odysseus is like her favorite person ever, so why doesn’t the sudden switch trigger some alarm bells? I think that Athena sort of sees Odysseus as her pet, a favorite servant if you will. Like a gladiator and his patron. She really likes his wit, and that’s what seems to infatuate her most, that he is (almost) as smart as she is. And he totally favors her, that’s got to help too. It is somewhat strange though, Odysseus is really against the idea of bringing Ajax out of his tent, and really tries to convince Athena not to do it.
Stay I must; yet I fain would be far hence.
He’s very afraid. I think Athena is too invested in Odysseus to let him die now, and I think Athena had good reason to protect the Greeks and her favorite. How do you think the rest of the camp will react to Ajax’s outburst where he thought he killed them all?
The rest of the camp was very shocked at Ajax’s actions. They all thought he was crazy, and even Ajax is convinced that he himself is crazy. I also don’t know if Athena can see into the future, she was just looking after Odysseus and saw that Ajax was angry at him and had intentions to kill him, so she stopped Ajax by disorienting him and giving him the false visions. You are also right, why would Ajax think that Athena, who likes Odysseus, would go against him. Ajax is obviously blinded by his own hatred and anger that he is an idiot. He shouldn’t have been too shocked to see that she gave him false visions. Because of this, he is now disgusted with himself and what he has done to those poor animals. I wonder why the army isn’t against Ajax. I mean, he did have the intention of killing them and torturing them, wouldn’t that bring the army against him. Why hasn’t Odysseus said anything yet? Also, why isn’t Tecmessa against Ajax? She seems very loyal to her horrible husband who forced her out of her will to marry him. Tecmessa seems too nice to be a wife/slave and should rebel or do something. Moving on through the play, why is Ajax leaving his wife and sailors? He is very distraught from the torturing of animals and he is disgusted in himself, so why leave? Is he planning on doing something? The messenger also warned Tecmessa and the sailors not to let Ajax leave. That obviously means that he is going to do something horrible or something horrible is going to happen to him.
ReplyDelete"MESSENGER
Alas! Alas!
Then too late on this errand was I sped
By him who sent me; or I have proved too slow.
LEADER
What urgent need has been neglected here?
MESSENGER
Teucer forbade that Ajax should go forth
Outside his hut, till he himself should come.
LEADER
Well, he is gone. To wisest purpose now
His mind is turned, to appease heaven's wrath."
What do you think will happen to him? Is he going to do something horrible, or will someone do something to him?