When was ajax written

Created sometime during the fifth century B. A strong-headed and highly political figure, Ajax has an independent conception of justice that leads to his denouncement of Grecian politics and, ultimately, his death. The armor is precious because it was forged by Hephaestus, the Greek god of war technology, and makes its wearer virtually impervious to damage.

The Greeks hold a vote among the men they have captured from Troy in order to find whether Ajax or Odysseus caused more damage. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single entry from a reference work in OR for personal use for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice. Oxford Reference. Publications Pages Publications Pages. Recently viewed 0 Save Search. Your current browser may not support copying via this button.

Subscriber sign in You could not be signed in, please check and try again. Username Please enter your Username. Password Please enter your Password. Forgot password? A friend of mine at work has read one of them and speaks very highly of the scholarship that is involved in it.

However, I have noticed that there seems to be a lack of literature relating to a similar condition arising in the Ajax. The story of Ajax is that Ajax is a commander in the Trojan War and after Paris killed Achilles, there was a competition over who would get armour - Odysseus won. However it turns out that Odysseus surprise, surprise cheated and that Ajax should have got the armour instead. Ajax then descends into a fit of madness and begins to slaughter the Greeks' cattle, believing them to be the Greeks themselves.

Upon discovering the truth, he descends into depression and finishes off by killing himself. There is more to the play than that, particularly when Odysseus then steps up afterwards and defends Ajax's honour against Menelaus and Agamemnon. The events of the play show elements of psychosis and major depressive disorder leading to suicidal ideation you can tell I work in personal injury. The depressive elements are very clear, particularly when it is Ajax's honour that has been destroyed.

As the saying goes, it takes a lifetime to build a reputation and a moment to destroy it. Ajax's fit of madness destroyed his reputation in minutes. However we note that with the exception of Odysseus, there is absolutely no sympathy for Ajax from any of the other commanders.

As far as they are concerned he has betrayed them and his people. Ajax sees himself having no friends: the Trojans hate him and the Greeks hate him, and despite his mother and brother loving him, his guilt pervades him to the point that he has no choice but to fall onto his sword. Now, as I read through the English translation with the Greek being on the opposite page I noticed Ajax's illness being mentioned numerous times. I flicked my eyes over to the Greek, located the word, and indeed the word is Greek for illness.

The play clearly demonstrates a recognition of mental illness being a legitimate sickness, and this was years before Freud. Further, as we look into other Greek literature, particularly Plato, we discover that there were systems in place that were designed to assist people suffering from mental illness: this being called the Therapy of the Soul. It appears that not only did the Greeks recognise mental illness, but also recognised the need and a system in an attempt to cure it.

However, if we consider this play and Heracles we notice that the Greeks seemed to believe that the origin of mental illness was divine. This is not necessarily limited to the Greeks though since we see episodes of psychosis in the Bible and a recognition that demonic forces can be behind it. The main incident that I refer to is the story of Legion, where a man was banished to the wastelands because he was possessed by a legion of demons, and Jesus comes along, cures him, and casts the demons into a herd of pigs.

In Greek tragedy, mental illness comes about from the gods fogging the mind of the victim. Athena fogs Ajax's mind in an attempt to prevent him from killing Odysseus, and Madness descends upon Herakles since he had completed his tasks, and the prohibition from harming him had been lifted.

This is why I love to study the ancients. It is not because of my love of antiquity, but because it is clear that they were much more intelligent and switched on than we give them credit for. In Shakespeare's time, while there was a recognition of mental illness King Lear suffers from a Major Depressive Disorder while Hamlet shows elements of psychosis, despite the fact that he is faking it.

However, it is accepted and unchangeable. We see no attempt by Shakespeare to attempt to address it though there are elements looking at their underlying causes. However we cannot forget that, with the exception of King Lear, the other madnesses that come to mind Titus Andronicus and Hamlet the madness is faked. I recently saw a performance of this play where it was set in modern day Iraq.

My thoughts on this production can be found on my blog. View all 5 comments. Ajax, gone mad, attacks the Argiens herds at night, believing they attack the men themselves. Discovering the deception and its dishonour, he commits suicide by impaling himself with a sword planted on the ground. While Tecmesse, his wife, laments that Teucer intends to bury his brother with the honours he has.

In the name of Agamemnon, Menelaus is opposed to this, who comes to tell him not to bury him. But Teucer is so keen on this burial that Agamemnon himself comes to say to him to keep a low Ajax, gone mad, attacks the Argiens herds at night, believing they attack the men themselves.

But Teucer is so keen on this burial that Agamemnon himself comes to say to him to keep a low profile since he is only a slave. Finally, Ulysses comes to calm the discussion and, even as Ajax's mortal enemy, wishes to do the honours to the brave warrior and helps his brother at the funeral.

A concise piece that only takes a few dialogues between Athena and Ulysses first, as in the Odyssey. Then it is the lamentations of Tecmesse or Teucer, the monologues of the madness of Ajax which gives its modernity to the piece and the disputes concerning its funeral between his avowed enemies but who, in death, regain a common honour Ulysses.

Ajax is one of the heroes fighting on the Greek side, today like many other heroes in this story, he is pretty much forgotten as the focus is on Achilles and Hector. However, as I continued to read different translations of The Iliad his story stayed with me.

For me, this was just another thing that convinced me this epic poem is anti-war. Not competent in speech he loses. The situation is ridiculous as the armour should be his, humiliated and feeling unappreciated his maddening rage gets the better of him. To save what honor he has left he commits suicide. He pacifies the anger that is stopping Ajax from having a decent burial. As a read, I found this play moving especially the speeches from his wife who begs him to live.

As I become familiar with these stories, I knew this would not be an option for him; because for these heroes what runs deep is a code of honour — like Hector who was not stopped by his wife Andromache to re-join the Trojan war — neither will Ajax be. This story maybe old but this is just one aspect that keeps it relevant today. Hence, to me, being a hero has a downside when you have to put honor above the impact it would have on your family.

View 2 comments. A storm broke, the waves piled higher and higher, and he grew quieter and quieter, huddled in the stern under his cloak. The sailors stepped on him in the confusion and he said nothing at all. So, if a great storm blows up from a small cloud, it may silence your big voice in the same way. Someone who looked like me, and was like me in temper, warned him: "Man, do not outrage the dead. If you do, it will be your own ruin. I can still see him now: I think he's none other than you, Menelaos!

Am I talking in riddles? Jan 19, Lishesque rated it really liked it. Menelaus: trololol hope the birds eat ur face Odysseus: guys maybe we shouldn't be jerks View 1 comment. Dec 27, d. It seems that there is seldom an appropriate time to repudiate the goddess Athena. Feb 02, Alex rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: Hillary Clinton voters.

Shelves: There, I saved you from "who the fuck even is this guy. At one point he defends the Achaean fleet from the Trojans single-handedly while Achilles is off sulking. But after the war Achilles's armor, which amounts to the Heisman Trophy of the war, is given to wily Odysseus after his speech about it proves more eloquent. Ajax is so pissed off that he goes on a murderous First of all, Aias the title in my edition is Ajax - Big Ajax, the hero of the Trojan War.

Ajax is so pissed off that he goes on a murderous rampage against what turns out to be a flock of sheep. Fuckin' Athena, always getting up in your head: he thought he was killing Agamemnon and Odysseus. Humiliated, he kills himself.

The play is about, what happens if the person who deserves the win doesn't get it? What if you feel you clearly earned leadership, but it's stolen by the other guy? Do you go on a murderous rampage? Do you burn it all down? This review is also here, with a bunch of other Sophocles stuff. Oct 09, Sarah rated it really liked it Shelves: greek-drama. Sophocles wrote a few plays centered around war and Odysseus; this is probably one of the most famous out of them as well as the best-written of them all.

Ajax focuses on the title character, who is a revered warrior whom many people may remember from Homer's Iliad. However, this particular story centers mainly around the downfall of the hero, whose warlike nature drives him to almost kill his friends; his guilt is what really gets him in the end.

Ajax himself is not necessarily a bad man, but h Sophocles wrote a few plays centered around war and Odysseus; this is probably one of the most famous out of them as well as the best-written of them all.

Ajax himself is not necessarily a bad man, but he is so used to his violent lifestyle that his animalistic side tends to take over. When he nearly kills his friends, the goddess Athena makes him kill sheep and cows instead.

When Ajax discovers that he almost committed a terrible crime, he feels guilty to the point that he commits suicide. In this character, the reader can see a true tragedy in that Ajax is not a bad person other than the fact that he lives a warrior's lifestyle. I also have found that there is a connection to Antigone present in that once Ajax is dead, there is a huge debate about whether his corpse will be left for seabirds and dogs to devour or if he will be given a proper burial.

In fact, the majority of this relatively small play centers around this issue. What I find particularly interesting about this play is that Ajax's eventual suicide is actually presented to the reader directly as an action. In some ways, the chorus is like the narrator of a modern film or like the background music accompanying the action of the film. In addition, it is like text on the film screen that provides background information or identifies the time and place of the action.

Difference Between Tragedy and Comedy: A tragedy focuses on a great and noble character; a comedy usually does not. Also, in a comedy, the author usually pokes fun at the characters. Finally, a comedy does not end tragically. Theme 1. Pride and conceit cause the downfall of a great warrior. Even though Ajax is treated unjustly, it is his own great pride that ultimately brings him to ruin.

Pride was considered a grave sin by the ancient Greeks because it placed too much emphasis on individual will, thereby downplaying the will of the state and endangering the community as a whole. Because pride makes people unwilling to accept wise counsel, they act rashly and make bad decisions.

Theme 2. Intelligence is more powerful than brute force. In the end, it was the genius of Odysseus that overcame the Trojans, not the physical prowess of Ajax. Consequently, the Greek generals awarded the armor of Achilles to Odysseus instead of Ajax. Software: All Categories Amazon.