Eteocles as a Male Character of Aeschylus’s Tragedy Seven against Thebes

Abstract

This article analyzes the text of Aeschylus’s tragedy Seven against Thebes in the context of one of the main characters - Eteocles - as a male character. In the text of Aeschylus, Eteocles looks like a tough ruler who is endowed with certain masculine qualities. Moreover, through his words, the male character is sometimes expressed. This helps him save his hometown, but at the same time leads him to death. According to Eteocles, the men of Thebes in the face of the enemy must protect their Mother Earth with shields in their hands. In addition to identifying a warrior with a shield, Aeschylus, through the words of Eteocles, indicates that the place of the male protector is on the battlements and in the gates with towers. According to Aeschylus, Eteocles is the bravest master (king) of the Cadmeans. The use of the word ἄναξ in relation to Eteocles reflects the archaic nature of the story of Seven against Thebes. Eteocles as a male character is not just the bravest king of the Cadmeans, but he also pretends to be a wise ruler. According to Aeschylus, Eteocles is an almost exclusively positive male character, despite the fact that he indicates that evil has been done to Polyneices.