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Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.
The Destructive Nature of Power
Throughout Circe, characters demonstrate how power can absolutely corrupt. One outcome of the quest for power is a constant state of paranoia. Rather than cherishing their families, Kronos eats his children and Helios tortures his brother and exiles his own daughter. They take these actions to protect their hold on power, and they effectively use their power to rule their families with fear. Meanwhile, Odysseus alienates Telemachus and Penelope and brings about his own death because of his delusional fears that others constantly threaten his power. Great power tends to cause great damage in those who wield it. Circe herself causes harm through the irresponsible use of the magic which she cannot control. Transforming Scylla into a monster results in the loss of countless sailors’ lives as well as the crippling guilt Circe carries throughout her life. She also relinquishes her own values when she reacts to her rape by turning the men into pigs. She may be able to assert her power over her attackers, but she also loses her moral compass. Power likewise corrupts Pasiphaë when she believes she is losing the control she has on Crete. This results in birthing the hideous Minotaur as a murderous tool to incite fear and control any threats to her kingdom. But when Circe decides to give up her immortality and much of the power that comes with it, she finally demonstrates an understanding that true happiness does not come from power. By ultimately ceding her immortal power, she may instead live the life she wants without seeking further control over others.
The Interconnectedness of Patriarchy and Misogyny
Circe explores a world in which women, especially the title character, must find ways to navigate a world dominated by men. As she grows and gains experience, Circe understands that her father and brothers do not value her unless she is of some benefit to them. Helios and Aeëtes are the two characters who demonstrate this most clearly, but when she transforms her first love Glaucos into his truest self, he shows his misogynistic core. He becomes just like every other god she’s known who treats women like property. Hermes also treats Circe as a source of entertainment rather than a friend or equal. Mortal men also can and do dominate women, even divine ones. Circe’s rape is the most glaring and horrifying example. Some of her other relationships also show this dynamic of men in positions of power over women. Odysseus plays a role on Aiaia in which he manipulates Circe into serving his needs. She ultimately recognizes that she repressed herself to be what she thought Odysseus wanted and spent her time with him trying to make his life easy and comfortable. Even the strong and ruthless Pasiphaë is victimized by men. This is evident when she confides to Circe in general terms of terrible things she had to do to protect herself in their father’s palace before being traded like property. The women in Circe’s world must navigate a system designed by and for men despite their own divine natures.
The Interconnectedness of Transformation and Identity
The relationship between physical transformation and one’s true identity is woven throughout the story. Circe transforms others in an effort to change her circumstances. She transforms Glaucos in her quest for love, Scylla in her jealous desire for justice, and sailors for her self-preservation. She also transforms wild animals into tame companions out of loneliness and plants into magical elements in her journey toward creating an identity for herself and gaining some measure of power over her own life. From her first spell over Glaucos, she seeks to reveal other characters’ true natures. While turning him into a god seems like the quickest way to achieve love and an escape from her family, the transformation actually reveals Glaucos’s true nature as a self-obsessed man just as Scylla’s transformation reveals her monstrous nature. Scylla’s transformation leads to major changes in Circe as she learns to question her role in the world and the importance of taking responsibility for her actions. By transforming sailors into pigs after being raped, Circe reveals her belief that men are inherently beasts. It’s only when she encounters Odysseus, raises Telegonus, and falls in love with Telemachus that her beliefs begin to change. This leads to a desire to irrevocably transform herself. Her decision to become mortal demonstrates her belief that divinity was never an essential part of her true self. Circe believes mortality will be the best vehicle for her to continue to change as an individual. This emphasizes how change can and should be an ongoing process rather than a final destination.
The Necessity of Love in Family Relationships
Circe demonstrates how vital love and respect are for a family to function. Circe spends her first full day in exile on Aiaia luxuriating in her freedom from her family, yet she longs for connections. When she spends time with Pasiphaë, she has momentary desires to reconnect despite the acrimony between them. With Aeëtes, Circe tries in vain to push past his angry exterior and find the brother whom she thought loved her. It's only when Circe becomes a mother that she finally moves closer to having the family she’s always wanted. Through the painful, frightening, and exhausting experiences as a mother, she protects Telegonus and does everything in her power to ensure her son’s well-being. She ultimately sacrifices her own happiness by giving her son her blessing when he wants to leave Aiaia. By letting him leave to find his father, Circe demonstrates that she understands how important it is for Telegonus to seek a relationship with the father he’s never known. Circe’s selflessness here shows that she knows that forcing him to stay would be detrimental to his own happiness. In order to ensure the happiness of her own child, she must act selflessly. When she falls in love with Telemachus, she applies these lessons and shares a love with him that is kind, humble, and supportive. In turn, she is finally able to envision the family she’s always wanted with him, Telegonus, Penelope, and future children in their shared lives.
