Ion

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There is a deep sense of realism that lies in the play Ion. The opening of the play arouses an old wrong, the seduction of Creusa by Apollo, which slowly develops into a tangled plot of deceit. The theme of the play is unique in how it is centered on a human dilemma that many can associate with in some way.
From the beginning, one can only imagine the outcome of Apollo’s seduction of Creusa. To make matters worse she has a child. There is an uncanny feeling of darkness and silence as she is made to keep her lips sealed. It appears that she gave up her son from fear of her parents. Like many young girls today she made a drastic decision in order to conceal her pregnancy. Apollo in this play is given human attributes. He is depicted as a barbarian who truly lacks the goodness of a god. Indeed a critical problem has developed with Apollo’s seduction of Creusa.
Apollo from the beginning is perceived as a demanding figure. Creusa is seen as the passive figure with no say in her circumstances. How could a mortal expect to make a god care for a child? This is where Euripides attempts to bind the mortals and the gods together. Apollo and Creusa share a common problem, and each makes different decisions in how they will go about solving that problem.
Immediately after Creusa leaves Ion in the cave, Apollo rescues him. Apollo’s actions are strange in that he goes as far as to catch the soul of the priestess so that she would care for his son but yet refused to give aid to Creusa. As a youth, Ion is appointed as a guard of Apollo’s gold, then an altar attendant and later the chief caretaker. Ion knows nothing of his birth, and asks no questions because of his deep respect for Apollo. He is happy in his service to the gods never knowing the agony that his mother is suffering as she longs for her lost son. It is critical to recognize that throughout the story no one acknowledges Apollo as the agitator of all the problems.
Creusa marries Xuthus and they find themselves unable to have children. While she longs to have a child, she can only regret the loss of her son years ago. Because they desire to have children, they go to Delphi to consult the gods.

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