Writing Assignment 3

The Villainous Characters in Sophocles' Plays: Ajax, Philoctetes, and Antigone

Ajax

In this paper, I will examine the villainous characters in Sophocles' three plays, namely

Ajax, Philoctetes, and Antigone. I believe that there is a villainous character in each play,

whose evil nature may not be inherently evil, but their beliefs and words within the context of

the play are extremely detrimental to others. I will provide evidence from the plays' dialogues

to support my argument.

Firstly, in the play Ajax, Ajax appears to be a hero on the surface, but he is depicted as a

selfish and vain individual throughout the play. As he mentioned in the play: “And bring the

tale of my death and downfall to my old father and to her that nursed me. Poor mother! When

she hears this wretched word" (Ajax 849-850). From this statement, we can deduce that he

acknowledges his parents will be so sad and poor before he commits suicide, yet he still

chooses death, and disregarding the pain that he causes to them. Hence, he is not a filial son.

Furthermore, Ajax does not take into consideration his wife and children when he

makes decisions. His wife Tecmessa expresses her concern for their child's safety, and saying,

"It was only because of my fears that I removed him… In case the poor boy might come in

your way and be killed" (531-533). This statement said to Ajax, indicates that his reckless

behavior endangers his family, demonstrating his irresponsibility as a husband and father.

Additionally, Ajax's animosity towards the Greek army and the king reveals his

villainous nature. When Athena said: "It was a stroke, then, aimed at the Greek army? A

successful one, if I had not been watchful" (44-45). From these lines, we can assume that,

without Athena's intervention, Ajax would have confronted the Greek army. However, in a

later dialogue, Menelaus remarks, "Listen, then. When we brought Ajax here from Greece,

we thought he would be our ally and our friend: but instead, we've found him worse than any
Trojan – plotting a murderous strike at the whole army, a night attack, to kill us with his

spear. And unless some god had smothered that attempt(1055). These pieces of evidence

prove that his actions are driven by selfish desires for revenge. Ajax's selfishness, lack of

filial piety, and disregard for his family and the Greek army make him the villainous

character in the play.

Philoctetes

Secondly, in the play Philoctetes, I identify Odysseus as the villainous character.

Odysseus is a cunning and manipulative figure who maroons Philoctetes on a deserted island

due to his diseased foot, as he states: "Here I marooned him long ago, the son of Poias, the

Malian, his foot diseased and eaten away with running ulcers" (Philoctetes 4-5). This act of

abandonment not only demonstrates Odysseus' lack of compassion for Philoctetes' suffering

but also lacks a basic humanitarian spirit.

Moreover, Odysseus' deceptive nature is evident when he urges Neoptolemus to use

trickery to obtain Philoctetes' bow. Neoptolemus expresses his reluctance and says: "Son of

Laertes, what I dislike to hear I hate to put in execution. I have a natural antipathy to get my

ends by tricks and stratagems" (86-88). This sentence shows Odysseus' insistence on using

deceitful methods to achieve his goals reveals his disregard for moral principles and his

willingness to exploit others for personal gain. At the same time, Odysseus' actions also

create animosity between him to Philoctetes. In the dialogue between Odysseus and

Philoctetes, Odysseus said: "That he will never be able to do now, even if he wishes it. And

you must come with the bow, or else these men will take you by force." And Philoctetes

replies:"Me? Your wickedness and impudence are without limit. Will these men really take

me there by force?" (984-985). This dialogue shows how Odysseus' threats of force and

coercion against Philoctetes further underscore his villainous character.

 In summary, Odysseus' deceptive tactics, lack of empathy, and resorting to force reveal

his villainous nature in the play Philoctetes.

Antigone

Finally, in the play Antigone, King Creon emerges as the villainous character. One key

piece of evidence lies in Creon's decision to leave Polynices' body unburied, which goes

against the sacred customs and religious beliefs of the society. According to Creon states:

"EteoclesI heard Creon covered him beneath The earth with proper rites, as law ordains； "No

Burial of any kind. No wailing, no public tears.“（Antigone,23-28)This edict not only defies

the divine laws but also demonstrates Creon's disregard for the welfare of his people and his

political power over moral principles.

Furthermore, Creon's stubbornness and unwillingness to listen to others exemplify his

villainous traits. For example, When his son Haemon tries to argue with him about the bury

the Polynices' body for Antigone, Creon refuses to change his stance and says:“What a sick

mind have: You submit to a woman； There is no way you'll marry her, not while she's still

alive.”（746-750）This statement shows that Creon's stubbornness has cost him a place in the

hearts of his people and his son.

In addition, Creon's cruelty and lack of compassion for Antigone exacerbate his evil

nature. In the play, Creon sentences Antigone to death for defying his edict and proclaiming:

"I don't care if she is my sister's child- Or closer yet at my household shrine for Zeus- She

and her sister must pay the full price And die for their crime."(486-489) These lines reflect

Creon's willingness to so severely punish a family member who adheres to moral principles,

it revealing his cruel and tyrannical nature.

In conclusion, King Creon's actions in Antigone, including his defiance of sacred

customs, stubbornness, and harsh punishment of Antigone, reveal him as the villainous

character in the play.