Foil

Character Role Analysis

Salome and Young Syrian

Salomé and the Syrian both long for someone who doesn't long for them. Womp womp. Both praise the objects of their affection, but they get rejected. Both take super-drastic measures when their advances are ignored…and this is where their two paths diverge.

You see, when the Syrian fails, he kills himself; he would rather leave his love intact than see Salomé debase herself in front of Jokanaan. When Salomé fails, she kills her love, Jokanaan. She wants to satisfy her longing, no matter the cost. Like the Syrian, she dies—but she dies because she has given up her innocence, not in order to preserve it.