Sopocles’ Ajax: A Tragedy of Deception

Abstract

Greek tragedy is a tragedy of fate that brings the downfall of the central figure. Greek playwrights were masters of storytelling and tried to bring purgation of human emotions.  Man is indeed responsible for his prosperity and downfall, but no one can deny the role of destiny in man’s life. Sophocles was one of the greatest Greek Playwrights who produced considerable tragedies in Greek literature. Sophocles’ plays were performed on the stage during the ancient time. His most horrible tragedy is Oedipus Rex in which Sophocles presents the cruelty of destiny that brings Oedipus’s downfall. Ajax is a tragedy of the central character Ajax who is presented as a noble warrior in the play but his rivalry with Odysseus for the armour of Achilles invites his downfall. In Ajax, Athena, a Greek goddess is presented as a villain in the play. Athena blurs the vision of Ajax and makes him believe that he has killed his rival Odysseus and Greek leaders but later on, he comes to know that he has killed the innocent cattle under the influence of Athena’s false vision. When Ajax comes to know about his sin, he commits suicide at the end of the play. Athena’s deception brings downfall to Ajax.