44 pages • 1 hour read
Ed. John C. Gilbert, EuripidesIon
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Character Analysis
Creusa
Creusa is the biological mother of Ion and princess of Athens. Her father is King Erechtheus, and she is the only surviving daughter of the royal family. Thus, Creusa procuring a child concerns the entire Athenian citizenry. Creusa’s husband is Xuthus, to whom she was given as a token of Athens’s appreciation for Xuthus’s bravery in battle against the Eubeoans. Creusa was raped by Apollo in a cave in Athens when she was a young girl (many years before the timeline of the play). She exposed the infant child with a few identifying accoutrements, though she realizes that he likely died as an infant. The plot commences as Creusa and Xuthus travel to the oracle at Delphi, about 100 miles from Athens.
Creusa is often shown lamenting her fate or alluding to (without disclosing) her victimization at the hands of Apollo. Creusa believes she is childless, which, coupled with Ion’s ignorance of his parentage, supplies the central dramatic irony of the plot. Creusa denounces the liberties that gods take, especially with mortal women. Near the climax of the play, Creusa publicly scorns Apollo himself. Thus, she is a highly developed protagonist who is given special depth. She is courageous, emotional, and emotive in her actions and speech. Euripides is known for imparting to his female characters a psychological complexity, especially in his magnum opus, Medea.
Ion
Ion, for whom Euripides named his play, is the son of Creusa and the god Apollo. Ion knows nothing of his heritage at the outset of the play, though the audience knows (thanks to Hermes) that he was sired by Apollo when the famous sun-god raped the mortal Athenian princess Creusa. Ion spends most of the play not knowing whether his mother is alive or dead, though he longs to know her.
Ion’s monologues reveal a depth of character that centers him as one of the two protagonists of the play. As one of the play’s principal characters, Ion is incredibly faithful to the god Apollo, whose temple he serves. Ironically, the dramatic irony results in the audience’s knowledge that Apollo is Ion’s biological father. Ion eventually receives his comeuppance at the end of the play, when he discovers his true identity and sets off to live with the royal family in Athens.
Xuthus
Xuthus is Creusa’s husband. In pursuit of a child, Xuthus accompanies his wife Creusa to the famous oracle at Delphi. Xuthus first receives an oracle at the shrine of Trophonius, which assures him that he and Creusa will indeed have a child before returning to Athens. The Pythia (the oracle housed at the temple of Apollo) more specifically tells Xuthus that the first person he sees upon exiting the temple will be his son. Neither of these prophecies are shown on stage, though Xuthus’s elated reactions testify to his (almost gullible) credulity. Both prophecies are only half true: Ion can to some extent be considered Xuthus’s son, but not in a biological sense. Overall, Xuthus is a well-intentioned character, though not flawless. Xuthus admits to having had sexual encounters with various maidens at the rites of Bacchus before his marriage to Creusa, and he admits to Ion his suspicion that one of these women is Ion’s mother.
Compared to Ion and Creusa, Xuthus is a relatively static character. He does not undergo appreciable change in the course of the play. Moreover, Xuthus remains ignorant of the play’s final resolution (viz., that Ion is not his biological son). Xuthus remains a stereotypical Greek man who is concerned with his status, reputation, and offspring.
Hermes
Hermes is the messenger god who appears only at the beginning of the play. Known throughout antiquity as the messenger god, Hermes is important both in the Greco-Roman pantheon as well as within this play. He delivers the prologue that alerts the audience to the circumstances leading up to the play. He also explains how, at Apollo’s command, he transported Ion from Athens to Delphi when the boy was just an infant left in his cave by his mother.
Hermes is a fitting figure to deliver the prologue because he is both the messenger god and the god of trickery, a reputation he earned after covertly stealing Apollo’s cattle. Hermes is a relatively static character within the play, though he plays an important role in helping the audience understand the events that transpire.
The Chorus
The chorus of handmaidens speak in extended verse to recapitulate and dramatize the circumstances and thoughts of their mistress, Creusa. Most noble families in Athens had servants, and so it is not improbable that someone of Creusa’s high rank would have an entourage of attendants in waiting. Though this group does little to advance the plot, they heighten the audience’s awareness of Creusa’s circumstances, especially as these circumstances change or become compromised. The chorus is quick to admit defeat when Creusa is found guilty of plotting against her son. The chorus also comments on the lot of women in general, sympathizing with their limited opportunities and the social biases against even high-born women like their mistress.
The handmaidens essentially mirror Creusa and lend support to her cause. Though these handmaidens were probably performed by men, they nevertheless constitute a corporate body that represents a feminine force. That said, their sentiments are not entirely feminist in nature; the chorus does not evidence significant thought of its own but instead echo the thoughts and feelings of Creusa.
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