Skip to main content

How does H. A. Guerber use the literary element of characterization to develop the character of Pythias in "Damon and Pythias?"

The Element of Characterization


Characterization is a literary element that is used by authors to describe a character's personality traits and motivations. Characterization is accomplished by portraying a character's actions, speech or thoughts. Author H. A. Guerber develops the character of Pythias through each of these techniques throughout "Damon and Pythias."


Pythias' Character Development


In the beginning of the story, the author uses the lens of friendship to develop the character of Pythias. Pythias' friendship with Damon is a central element of his character, and this friendship is illustrated both through Pythias' actions and words and the observations of other characters in the story. Pythias' actions have earned him a reputation as a loyal friend, and his devotion to his friend is well-known throughout the community.


The accusation of treason against Pythias serves as the primary source of conflict in the story and works to develop his character in a meaningful way. Pythias proves his bravery and honesty with his willingness to stand up to the king despite the fatal consequences. Pythias' characterization up until this point is used to make his response to the accusations against him more believable. When confronted with death, Pythius responds with dignity and a determination to prove his innocence. When he fails at this, his thoughts immediately turn to ensuring that his family has what they need to survive after his death.


Pythias' character undergoes even further development when he is put through a series of trials that prevent him from returning to save Damon from taking his place in the execution. After finding a husband to care for his sister and providing for his mother, Pythias returns faithfully to Syracuse to face his punishment. While traveling, he falls victim to a band of thieves and is bound to a tree for many hours. Here, the author uses Pythias' attempt to free himself despite the fact that he has a reasonable excuse to avoid execution to develop his character in terms of bravery and resilience. Another trial soon follows in which Pythias is faced with a rushing stream he must overcome in order to proceed on his journey. He presses onward and nearly dies of thirst and fatigue in his effort to keep his promise to return to Damon.


In each of these examples, the author uses strong characterization to develop the character of Pythias. We see that he is a noble man who is willing to back his words of devotion and loyalty up with decisive action even in the face of death.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

etymology - Origin of the greeting "Sweet dreams".

Does anybody know the etymology of the phrase "sweet dreams"? I tried googling but did not find anything satisfying. Is this a relatively new phrase of the modern world or has this been in use for some time? I think it's the latter one. Answer The OED has the interjection as "a farewell to someone going to bed" from the 20th century: 1908 Sears Roebuck Catal. 198/1 Tenor Solos..Good Bye, Sweet Dreams, Good Bye. But it goes back until at least the 19th and possibly 18th centuries. John Wolcot, writing under the pseudonym of Peter Pindar, used it in his poem "Orson and Ellen; A Legendary Tale" published in 1801: Also from 1801 in The infernal Quixote (Page 287) by Charles Lucas: In the March 1776 of The Universal Magazine was published "The Serenade. A Pastoral Tale. From the German of Gesner" , where the shepherd Daphnis watches over his beloved as she sleeps and sings: The same tale appears in 1776's as Idyl XI, " Daphnis ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Is there a word/phrase for "unperformant"?

As a software engineer, I need to sometimes describe a piece of code as something that lacks performance or was not written with performance in mind. Example: This kind of coding style leads to unmaintainable and unperformant code. Based on my Google searches, this isn't a real word. What is the correct way to describe this? EDIT My usage of "performance" here is in regard to speed and efficiency. For example, the better the performance of code the faster the application runs. My question and example target the negative definition, which is in reference to preventing inefficient coding practices. Answer This kind of coding style leads to unmaintainable and unperformant code. In my opinion, reads more easily as: This coding style leads to unmaintainable and poorly performing code. The key to well-written documentation and reports lies in ease of understanding. Adding poorly understood words such as performant decreases that ease. In addressing the use of such a poorly ...
Post a Comment
Read more

What are the similarities between the relationships of the characters in The Outsiders and Romeo and Juliet?

At first glance, it might appear as if the characters in  The Outsiders  by S. E. Hinton and  Romeo and Juliet  by William Shakespeare do not have much in common; however, when one isolates the core of the conflicts, it becomes clear that the relationships in both stories are rooted in rivalry and secrecy.  In both  The Outsiders  and  Romeo and Juliet , an overarching theme is rivalry. While   socioeconomic status separates the greasers from the Socs in The Outsiders , last names separates the Montagues from the Capulets, who appear to be relatively equal in terms of socioeconomic status. Due to these rivalries, there are instances of deadly interactions in both stories. In  The Outsiders , Johnny kills Bob (whether his actions were justified or not is debatable). In  Romeo and Juliet , Romeo kills Tybalt and Paris, and Tybalt kills Mercutio. These deaths have profound effects on the main characters. In Ponyboy's case, the Johnny's death and other events in the novel inspire h...
Post a Comment
Read more