The date is 1958, location Cyprus.The air is filled with the aroma of gun-powder and bloodshed, the grounds covered with bullet-shells and deceased bodies. The on-going struggle for liberation from British domination continues for every cypriot living in Cyprus at around this time. This story Gregory by Panos Ionnides is the direct result of Ionnides' first-hand experience as a soldier during the war when he and a former cypriot, Guerilla, were guarding a british soldier. The soldier was executed in restitution for a violent act played on by the British. Also, the late 1950's was a time of the well known stockholm syndome, the "phenomenon in which hostages and their keepers develop bonds despite their adversary positions". This idea played a major role in Gregory and will be looked at in greater depth as I explore the true meaning of honor and how it played an equal role in this story.
Roman executioner Giovanni Battista Bugatti ("Mast...
Mine Own Executioner
Samurai ExecutionerAt this time, I pose the question, "what is honor ?".
Honor is the feeling or expression of admiration, respect or esteem. To whom did the Executioner's honor belong? To Headquarters? To Gregory? Well, this changed, not only in direction but also in intensity. At first, the Executioner mentioned his first experiences of killing the enemy-soldiers headquarters had handed down to him. He described them as "delicate assignments". The first time, he said he threw up. The second, he was ill for days, the third, drank a bottle of alcohol, the fourth, a few glasses of beer, the 5th he joked about it, and finally the sixth, remorse, for it was Gregory fe killed. As you can see, he was slowly desensitized to his job. That is, he comfortably adapted to it and as he eliminated each of the five soldiers before Gregory, the intensity of his honor...