“Then Theseus bent himself in good earnest to the task, and strained every sinew, with manly strength and resolution. He put his whole brave heart into the effort. He wrestled with the big and sluggish stone, as if it had been a living enemy. He heaved, he lifted, he resolved now to succeed, or else to perish there, and let the rock be his monument forever! Aethra stood gazing at him, and clasped her hands, partly with a mother’s pride, and partly with a mother’s sorrow. The great rock stirred!”

Theseus has tried since childhood to lift the great boulder in the forest, as his inheritance from his father, King Aegeus, lies underneath the rock. This passage captures the momentous event when Theseus finally lifts the rock, marking his transition from child to man and enabling him to access his father’s gifts. By showcasing Theseus’s commitment to this challenge, the story introduces the theme of Achieving One’s Destiny Through Initiative and Hard Work.

“But when Theseus heard of robbers and monsters, he pricked up his ears, and was so much the more eager to take the road along which they were to be met with […] Thus, by the time he reached his journey’s end, Theseus had done many valiant feats with his father’s golden-hilted sword, and had gained the renown of being one of the bravest young men of the day.”

Theseus embraces the danger and challenge of traveling by road to Athens. This quotation demonstrates that he isn’t interested merely in gaining power as a prince of Athens, but also in helping people by killing monsters and robbers. By discussing Theseus’s “valiant feats” and how they helped others, this passage establishes the theme of Using Violence for Moral Good.

“But when Theseus heard the story, he straightened himself up, so that he seemed taller than ever before; and as for his face it was indignant, despiteful, bold, tender, and compassionate, all in one look. ‘Let the people of Athens this year draw lots for only six young men, instead of seven,’ said he, ‘I will myself be the seventh; and let the Minotaur devour me if he can!’”

Theseus’s bravery and self-sacrifice make him an exceptional prince who is ready to defend the people of Athens. Hawthorne’s description of Theseus’s noble demeanor and motivations makes him a role model for young readers, introducing the theme of Compassion and Responsibility as Heroic Qualities.