Ajax, 2

Ajax emerges, now sane, but distraught, while the Chorus and Tecmessa look on, terrified.  He lashes out at all who have slighted him-- especially Odysseus, Agamemnon, and Menelaus.  He feels abandoned by the gods, disgusted by the war, unappreciated by the army, resentful of his hero father whose standard he can no longer fulfill.  He cannot return home in shame.  He considers going out in a blaze of glory on a suicide charge into the Trojans, but thinks that will give the sons of Atreus too much pleasure.  He is utterly broken.

Tecmessa attempts to bring him back from the brink.  Life surely has more in store-- look at her own improvement after her household had been destroyed!  He owes it to her, and to his mother and father, and his son, to push through the misery and pain.

Ajax calls for his son, to give him his final advice, and states his final testament.  He bestows his great shield, but says his other weaponry must be buried with him-- they will not be distributed among the Greeks, now his enemies.  His son Eurysaces will be raised by Ajax's brother, Teucer.  The business done, he shuts himself away.

The Chorus is in more of a panic than ever.  But Ajax emerges, and announces his next move.  The closeness of death has softened his edge, he says.  He does not want to die.  Let his weapons be buried, as asked.  Meanwhile, he will go to the sea to do penance to the gods.  He will submit to the Greek kings-- it is the honorable and dutiful thing to do.  He goes.  The Chorus is ecstatic.  Wisdom has prevailed.  They celebrate the turn in his behavior, and look forward only to positive outcomes ahead.

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Of course, we're only halfway through the play. Things are bound to get worse.

I was hoping to see Ajax go through the classic five stages of grief-- couldn't find it, though.  At least, no clear instance of Bargaining.

I was surprised to see the daddy issues crop up here.  But it reminded me of that other classic of the Western literary tradition:

Let's see.  Emilio Estevez as Ajax, Ally Sheedy as Tecmessa, Anthony Michael Hall as the Chorus, John Bender as Odysseus, and Principal Vernon as Agamemnon Menelaus.  With special guest Larry Lester's Buns as the slaughtered animals.  

I think I may have something here.

(Note for future reference: I actually just wanted the clip where Emilio Estevez starts crying about his old man telling him to be a winner.  That clip doesn't exist on YouTube.  This "Andy Tribute" montage is soooooo much better.)