Theseus

The Minotaur serves not only as a character in “The Cruel Tribute” but also as a symbol of chaos, the darker side of the self, and internal conflict. Minos hides the Minotaur away in the Labyrinth because he does not want to face his baser impulses or deal with his grief over losing his son. Similarly, the Minotaur inflicts suffering on others as a result of unrestrained instincts and the thirst for vengeance.

Both Minos and the Minotaur project their inner chaos onto external targets. When Theseus faces down the Minotaur in the Labyrinth and defeats it, he fights to overcome those darker instincts. Theseus rises above the confusion of the Labyrinth to save the other tributes and end the system of perpetual sacrifice instituted after the death of Minos’s son. He, unlike Minos, successfully confronts the darker side of humanity and the chaos caused by it and triumphs over them.

The Labyrinth is symbolic of the journey to discover the self and become whole. In the Labyrinth, characters in “The Cruel Tribute” reveal their true selves. The Minotaur is monstrous and kills people without remorse. Theseus, however, proves his heroism in the Labyrinth, defeating the Minotaur and leading the Athenians out of the Labyrinth safely.