1) Discuss the theme of lying and dishonesty in Sophocles' Philoctetes and Euripides Medea - Essay Example

Outline Introduction to lying and dishonesty in the two plays. a. Definition of lying and dishonesty b. Thesis statement of the paper.2. Analysis of the play Philoctetes highlighting instances of lying and dishonesty. a. A detailed synopsis on lying and dishonesty in the play.3. An analysis of the play by Euripides’s, Medea, highlighting instances of lying and dishonesty. a. Discussion on lying and dishonesty in the play.4. ConclusionLying and Dishonesty in Philoctetes and MedeaLying is the act of telling of a false representation while dishonesty encompasses both telling and acting in an untruthful manner.

Various tragedies have been written dating to the ancient Greek that manifests these two themes clearly. In the play by Sophocles, Philoctetes, lying is more prominent than dishonesty, as it is clearly expressed verbally, while in the play by Euripides, dishonesty is more outplayed. This paper will show the instances of lying and dishonesty in these two tragedies and discuss their impact on the outcomes in the two plays. As a case study on these plays, it will become clear that while lying sometimes can be used for a polite reason; dishonesty ultimately leads to an unfortunate ending and more likely, suffering.

The play Philoctetes begins after the Trojan War written around 400 B.C. Philoctetes is left in the battle field after he is bitten by a snake and his foot begins to rot. Odysseus leaves him behind in Greece, but it is then evident that the army will not win another war without the bow left by Heracles to Philoctetes. Odysseus comes up with a plan in which to make Philoctetes come back to the city and help them win the war. He uses Neoptolemus to help convince Philoctetes on returning with the bow.

His plan is for Neoptolemus to put on an act and deceive him into agreeing to return. Since Philoctetes hates Odysseus terribly, Neoptolemus lies to him that he also was denied his birth right by Odysseus convincing him to go back but his conscience haunts him too much he comes clean. Philoctetes then declines after a confrontation with Odysseus but towards the end Heracles intervenes in a vision to make Philoctetes return with the arrow.The lie in this play is of the essence to the synopsis of the tragedy, as it is the main theme here.

Winning the war is vital, and Odysseus uses the only means possible for him to get the desired results. The dishonesty worked to convince Philoctetes to agree to return with the bow but once it is discovered, all goes south. As stated, sometimes dishonesty gets work to be done, and some time for a worthy course but ultimately once it is discovered the results are disastrous.On the other hand, Medea is a play by Euripides written about the same time in the ancient Greek. The story is about a woman, Medea, whose husband, Jason, brings home another wife, Glause, to take her place.

In retaliation she decides to kill the new bride, her father, King Creon, and also butcher her two sons. This is all to hurt her husband and hit back for the pain he has caused her. She seeks out to the king of Athens, Augeus, to help her flee the city and in return him the help the king’s wife conceive (Walker and Porson and Euripides 45). To accomplish her mission to avenge herself, she seeks out to her husband. She comes from exile bearing gifts for the bride that consist of a poisoned robe presented to Glause by her two sons.

Her plan is to then kill the two boys too.The themes of lying and dishonesty are manifested in several instances in this tragedy. Jason with his dishonesty to his loyal wife sets the events going in this play. Jason also lies to his Medea that he would take care of her and ultimately unite the two families. Next instance of dishonesty is when King Creon pretends to console Medea in her suffering while all the while he intends to exile her. His logic is to exile her so she does not harm herself and the kids, a compelling motive but to be achieved in a dishonest way.

Fourth is when Medea convinces Augeus, the king of Athens, to let her flee to Athens and help the king’s wife conceives, but her actual intention is to get asylum and plan her revenge. This lie was essential for her to carry out her plan in avenging herself. The fifth and sad case of lying and dishonesty in this play is manifest when Medea deceives her sons to take the poisoned robes to the newly wed. Her sons innocently take the robes not knowing of the harm they would cause (Walker and Porson and Euripides 38).

In conclusion, Philoctetes and Medea both serve to explore the themes of lying and dishonesty in a theatrical style. Lying has to be expressed in talking and verbal representations while dishonesty is mainly through actions based on the anterior motives. Both have clearly shown that while sometimes lying is acceptable to achieve a given goal, most likely or not it will lead to undesirable events. Dishonesty has also been expressed as a means for achieving a morally correct motive while on the other hand committing a legally unacceptable thing.

There is a thin line between lying, dishonesty, law and morality.Works CitedSophocles. The Philoctetes. University Press: Oxford. 1932. Print.Walker, Richard, Porson, James and Euripides. The Medea of Euripides. Ghent University: Baldwin.1829. Print.