24 pages • 48 minutes read
Theseus
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Symbols & Motifs
The Minotaur
The Minotaur serves not only as a character in “The Cruel Tribute” but also as a symbol of chaos, the darker side of the self, and internal conflict. Minos hides the Minotaur away in the Labyrinth because he does not want to face his baser impulses or deal with his grief over losing his son. Similarly, the Minotaur inflicts suffering on others as a result of unrestrained instincts and the thirst for vengeance.
Both Minos and the Minotaur project their inner chaos onto external targets. When Theseus faces down the Minotaur in the Labyrinth and defeats it, he fights to overcome those darker instincts. Theseus rises above the confusion of the Labyrinth to save the other tributes and end the system of perpetual sacrifice instituted after the death of Minos’s son. He, unlike Minos, successfully confronts the darker side of humanity and the chaos caused by it and triumphs over them.
The Labyrinth
The Labyrinth is symbolic of the journey to discover the self and become whole. In the Labyrinth, characters in “The Cruel Tribute” reveal their true selves. The Minotaur is monstrous and kills people without remorse. Theseus, however, proves his heroism in the Labyrinth, defeating the Minotaur and leading the Athenians out of the Labyrinth safely. The other male tributes who enter the Labyrinth with Theseus stand ready to help him fight should the need arise, although they comply with his orders to stand back and do not offer immediate assistance.
Although she doesn’t enter the Labyrinth, Ariadne demonstrates her courage by defying her father and providing Theseus with the thread that permits his escape, thereby revealing her honor. After successfully facing down the Minotaur and escaping the Labyrinth, Theseus is ready to assume the role of king of Athens as a courageous leader when he returns home.
Ariadne’s Thread
Ariadne’s thread in the literal sense is a ball of thread that guides Theseus out of the Labyrinth. He ties one end of the thread to the door of the Labyrinth and then winds the thread up again to guide himself and his people out of it. The ball of thread has become a symbol of creative problem solving, using all possible approaches to solve the same problem.
In theory, there were many possible ways for the Athenians to escape the Labyrinth once the Minotaur was defeated, but the thread was the best solution. The use of the thread represents using logic, skill, and critical thinking to determine the most appropriate solution for a task, and executing that solution to complete the task or overcome the challenge that was presented.
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