Exploring the Consequences of Lying: Insights from Hippolytus and Bible

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Recommended: Essay of reasons for telling lies

Yvonne Bell
Mr. Crook
AP language and Comp
January 13, 2015

Why is the justification of lying such a controversial subject? The play, “Hippolytus”, written by Euripides and the Revised English Bible has numerous accounts of lying. Each story teaches us the importance of honesty. They use a suggestive manner to imply that lying harms everyone involved in the lie and there is no positive outcome. Although lying may be the simplest decision to follow through, it is always best to tell the truth because deceit can cause further problems down the road. Telling a lie can jeopardize the people around you and they’ll have to pay for your actions regardless of their innocence. "What have you done?’ The woman answered, ‘It was the serpent who deceived …show more content…

No because even if you might think it’s the slightest lies it can lead to something much worse like death. In the play “Hippolytus” Phaedra had lied about being raped by her own son because she didn’t want to ruin her reputation. “I only know one way, one cure for these my woes, and that is instant death.” (Phaedra, 12, Line 5) She confessed to her son that she was in love with him, felt too embarrassed and thought he was going to tell everyone, so she killed herself. Lies can make the innocent appear wicked. “Why say this, if, as thou pretendest, thy lips are free from blame?” (Hippolytus, 12, Line 12) Hippolytus did nothing wrong, and did not want to reclaim his innocence because he felt like he didn’t need to justify himself. If his friends and family were true to him, they would believe him. But ultimately, they did not. “Come, my comrades in this land, young like me, greet me kindly and escort me forth, for never will ye behold a purer soul, for all my father’s doubts.” (Hippolytus, 20, Line 14) Hippolytus is standing his ground and knows he has done nothing wrong, whereas his father believes he has done wrong to his wife, and later on kills him for it. The truth is bound to leak out somehow no matter how hard you try to cover up your tracks. “She meantime, fearful of being found out, wrote a lying letter, destroying by guile thy son, but yet persuading thee.” (Hippolytus, 23, Line 7) Artemis reveals the truth to Theseus, the

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