Fear is a powerful thing in Salomé and nowhere do we see that more than in the person of Herod. Fear puts him on the same level as his prisoner Jokanaan, and it undermines his ability to rule. He's a cowardly lion by the end of the play.
That being said, fear isn't necessarily a bad thing. Fear motivates the Jews' belief in their God—it keeps them in line, so to speak—and it keeps Herod from suffering the same fate as his stepdaughter. Indeed, it's Salomé's lack of fear that proves her undoing, that allows her to push the boundaries of morality and plain ol' good taste. Without fear, we see, passion and desire trump all else.
Questions About Fear
- By the end of the play, it's become clear that Herod fears Jokanaan and that Salomé does not. But what about Herodias? Does her annoyance conceal fear?
- Why is Herod, the man with the most power, the most afraid? Is he afraid because he is powerful?
- A few of the Jews agree that "God is terrible," which is to say, terrifying. Is their belief, then, motivated by fear?
Chew on This
Jokanaan attempts to spread his message via fear of death and judgment; without it, his pronouncements would have little weight.
Though Herod may not be a believer in Jokanaan's prophecies by play's end, his fear of the prophet, of the idea that he might be a messenger of God, pushes him closer to belief.