In her timeless classic, The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood writes, “The moment of

betrayal is the worst, the moment when you know beyond any doubt that you’ve been
betrayed: that some other human being has wished you that much evil.”
Betrayal is a commonly used literary element, also used in other fiction like films and TV
series, and is often associated with or used as a plot twist. In fact, there are certain betrayals
that are so famous that they have made their way into the common vernacular, and today I
will be providing a little context for a select few sayings. For instance, have you ever heard
someone being referred to as “Judas”? I’m sure many of you have even come across the
phrase, “Ides of March”. Another popular term is the Titanomachy that has been used widely
in literature.
I cannot think of a more accurate poster child for treachery and betrayal other than Judas
Iscariot. Originally one of the twelve apostles of Christ, he is notorious for betraying Jesus
and revealing his identity to the Romans. For 30 pieces of silver, he marks Jesus with a kiss
in the garden of Gethsemane and calls him by the name, ‘rabbi’ meaning master. This is the
event that sets into motion the crucifixion of Christ. Today, his name is synonymous with the
word ‘traitor’. The next time you hear someone associated with Judas, know that they are
being likened to a betrayer.
March 15 is a day that will forever live in infamy, thanks to William Shakespeare's 16th
century drama, Julius Caesar. In the famous dramatization of the assassination of Julius
Caesar, a soothsayer cautions the emperor a month before his death to “Beware the Ides of
March.” A month later, on March 15 , that is the Ides of March, Caesar is stabbed to death by
members of the Roman Senate, including his closest allies and best friend, Brutus. Caesar
passes while uttering the words, ‘et tu brute?’ which loosely translates into ‘You too,
Brutus?’ As the date is marked with Caesar’s assassination, writers now use it foreshadow a
bitter ending for their stories. When a character is faced with the Ides of March, it usually is a
bad omen.
And lastly, the one most intriguing to me, is the Titanomachy. In Greek mythology, it was the
great war that occurred between the Titans, led by Cronos, the old generation of Greek gods,
and the Olympian gods, led by Zeus. The war lasted for a total of ten years, ending in the
defeat of the old pantheon, which was based on Mount Othrys, and the establishment of the
new one, based on Mount Olympus. What is unique about this betrayal, is that this one,
unlike the previous two, come from Cronos’ own flesh and blood. At the forefront of
rebellion, were Cronos’ six children, which makes this betrayal all the more bitter.
I’d like to conclude by explaining why I chose to avoid the conventional route many would
take while talking on this topic, and rather delved into the impact it has had on the dialect. As
a literary trope, personally I enjoy reading about betrayals as they amp up the shock factor
that usually leave the reader wanting for more. I thought it interesting enough to share with
the class, and hence spoke about it.
Thank you