It has often been said that time heals all wounds. Although I believe this statement to be true, I find it incomplete. Time may heal, but it never forgets. This fact is apparent in our literature, both classical and modern. It is an oddity of the human condition: we are fascinated by evil and wrongdoing. History has forgotten all too many heroes, but not one villain. In this way, we define ourselves and speak the truth of our very nature. Deep within each of us is a repressed bloodlust, the dark side nature has built in and civilization has tried to tear out, that can be satisfied in this way. After all, any story is simply a means to know and understand something that can never truly be experienced; a means to live vicariously. The evening news, like many forms of modern media, is notorious for its frequent portrayal of tragedy, but is utterly inept at depicting triumph. It is a fear of evil that compels us to watch and learn it. In this way, we feel protected, more safe, simply because we arrogantly assume an understanding of that which potentially threatens us. It is also a fear of evil's temptation that draws us to its literature. When we see what happens to those who lack resolve, isn't our own reinforced? Or maybe still it is a desire to give in, to take the dark path, coupled with a fear of the repercussions, that finds us so infatuated. Whatever the reason for this infatuation, it is an undeniable part of our existence as a species. We are all too often more captivated by the dark, then the light in which we try so hard to stand. Many strive to find and cultivate the good within themselves, but all are delighted to find evil within others.
             In Euripides' Electra, the single noblest character is, ironically, the simple Farmer. He is a man of high principals and integrity. Although she is his wife, the Farmer refuses to "defile" Electra's bed by sharing it because she is of noble blood and he is not. Despite the ...