Theseus

The tale of Theseus and the Minotaur demonstrates the four functions of mythology defined by Joseph Campbell in Occidental Mythology, with each one adding a new layer of meaning to the text. These four functions—mystical, cosmological, sociological, and psychological—each operate through the presence of a different character, or through characters’ interactions.

To be mystical, a myth must include the presence of something beyond the world and beyond the human—a divine force that guides and leads both the world and the story’s events. This function is included in “The Cruel Tribute” through the presence of Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle, and the gods of Olympus. The Athenians in the Labyrinth pray to Athena for her support in Theseus’s endeavor to defeat the Minotaur. When the tributes continue to be taken, the people of Athens “[lift] up their hands to Athena on the hilltop and [cry] out, ‘How Long, O Queen of the Air, how long shall this thing be?’” (197). They depend on Athena for protection and guidance, and they cannot fathom a world in which she is not protecting them, even when it seems she is not with them.

Literally, the mystical function of myth in this story is the presence of the gods, but the figurative meaning becomes dependent on the individual. Determining this meaning prompts consideration of personal beliefs, such as where one turns when belief and hope are needed, and on what deity, divine force, or nonhuman supreme being, if any, does one rely in difficult times?

The story then moves to the cosmological function of myth, which establishes a basic idea about the nature of the universe. This is inherent to mythology, and the concept that it explores is applicable to most contexts. In “The Cruel Tribute,” the cosmological function is developed through the conflict between Theseus and the Minotaur. The Minotaur, as a representation of the conflict between humanity’s two natures, is the antagonist of the story. However, it is also human nature’s internal antagonist. Humanity naturally pits itself against its animalistic instincts; through mythology, human beings can explore that inherent contradiction between person and beast and how that line can be obscured. In the case of the Minotaur, the Athenians cannot see where the beast ends and the man begins:

He was twice as tall as a man, and his head was like that of a bull with huge sharp horns and fiery eyes and a mouth as large as a lion’s; but the young men could not see the lower part of his body for the cloud of dust which he raised in running (205-06).

Likewise, people have difficulty distinguishing between the human and the bestial instincts that lie within them. This makes the cosmological function of “The Cruel Tribute” one of self-reflection. It requires each person to determine where these dividing lines lie for them, and asks that nobody accept the bestial instinct without rational, human consideration. In short, it asks that everyone consider what it means to be human.

The next layer is the sociological function of mythology, which establishes social and moral orders. It appears as a twofold occurrence in “The Cruel Tribute.” The first of these is during Minos’s appearance in Athens demanding the tribute from the Athenians. The elders’ response is that “the condition is hard […] but it is just” (195). They recognize the authority with which Minos acts and positions himself in relation to Athens, acknowledge what would be considered his divine right to rule, and note the justice in what he says. Before they know the full terms of the condition, they see Minos act justly, and a social order is established: Minos is wronged and demands satisfaction equal to that which he lost. This moment establishes the significance of justice as a matter of social importance in ancient Greece.

The myth’s second moment of sociological function is in Theseus’s defeat of the Minotaur and, simultaneously, his defeat of Minos and Minos’s conditions. With its dying breath, “the Minotaur turned his face towards the sky and was dead” (206). It is not only the Minotaur that is dead. The unjustness of Minos’s tribute demands and the desire to surrender to animalistic instinct also die. In the moment of the Minotaur’s death, the story of Theseus establishes the importance of justice and of overcoming the unjust when injustice occurs.

The final layer of function for “The Cruel Tribute” comes from its psychological meaning. This element ties all of the previous functions together for each individual. This is where personal meaning is made and where the myth’s deepest importance lies, but pointing to a moment of psychological function is difficult. In the tale of Theseus, it is most easily recognized at the end of the story when “Theseus became king of Athens” (208). He is placed at the top of the social hierarchy, and his accomplishments are recognized by Greek society as significant. His ability to offer proper respect to the gods, to overcome his base instincts, and to overcome injustice within society makes Theseus the embodiment of the Greeks’ respected societal values.

Theseus is the hero and is placed in the position of power within Athens, the heart of the Greek world. This final layer prompts individuals to reflect on the morals and ideals that are personally significant to them. This involves examining where they fall within their own society’s social and cosmological hierarchy, and considering whether they act as a Theseus, an Ariadne, a Minotaur, or—at worst—a Minos? These self-reflective questions provide the final layer of meaning that can only be answered by each individual. While mythical, cosmological, and sociological meanings of “The Cruel Tribute” can be identified at a societal or broader cultural level, the psychological function of myth can be determined only by the reader after meaningful reflection upon the story’s elements.