Salomé Summary

Oscar Wilde's Salomé is a tragic drama originally written in French in 1891 while Wilde was in Paris, later translated into English by Lord Alfred Douglas. First published in French in 1893 and staged at the Théatre de l'Oeuvre in 1896, its English version appeared in 1894, with its first production in London in 1905. The play is set on the terrace of Herod's palace over the course of a single evening and unfolds in the present tense. The protagonist, Salomé, is captivated by the voice of the imprisoned prophet Jokanaan. When he rejects her advances, she exploits her stepfather Herod’s lust, performing the dance of the seven veils in exchange for Jokanaan’s head on a silver charger. As Herod pleads with her to choose another reward, she remains resolute, leading to the prophet’s beheading. In the climax, Salomé professes her love to Jokanaan’s severed head, and Herod, repulsed, orders her execution. The play explores themes of the gaze, spectacle, vanity, and the exoticized Orient, with recurring motifs such as the princess, the prophet, the moon, and the interplay of eyes and veils. Symbolism is rich, particularly with the moon and various omens, while foreshadowing permeates the narrative, including the Syrian’s premonition of Salomé’s dance, Jokanaan’s prophecy of her fate, and signs foretelling Herod’s downfall.

The play takes place on the terrace of King Herod's palace, above the banquet hall. To the left, there is a huge staircase. At the back, there is a cistern surrounded by a wall of green bronze. The Young Syrian looks at Salomé and exclaims how beautiful she is tonight. It seems like she is dancing. Herodias' Page tells him to look at the moon, comparing it to a woman rising from her tomb, searching for dead things. He warns the Syrian that he looks at Salomé too much. From the banquet hall, a noise is heard. The Soldiers complain that the Jews are arguing loudly about their religion. One Soldier notices that Herod has a dark expression and wonders whom he is looking at.

Suddenly, the voice of Jokanaan is heard from the cistern. He proclaims that the Messiah is coming: "The eyes of the blind shall see, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened." The First Soldier explains to the Cappadocian that Jokanaan is a prophet from the desert. It is difficult to understand what he says, and Herod has forbidden anyone from seeing him. The Cappadocian comments that the cistern must be an unpleasant place to be locked up in. The Second Soldier disagrees, saying that Herod's older brother, who was also Herodias' first husband, lived there for twelve years before being strangled by Naaman, the executioner, with Herod's death-ring.

The Syrian exclaims that Salomé is approaching. She enters, saying she cannot stay in the banquet hall because Herod keeps looking at her with his nervous, blinking eyes. The Page is horrified as the Syrian invites her to sit down. Salomé greets the moon, calling it cold and chaste, with the beauty of a virgin. Jokanaan again proclaims the coming of the Lord. Salomé asks if he is the prophet Herod fears, the one who speaks badly about her mother. As Jokanaan continues preaching, Salomé demands to speak with him. Everyone tries to stop her, but she convinces the Syrian to bring the prophet out.

Jokanaan appears, and Salomé looks at him. She says his eyes are the most terrible thing about him, like black lakes disturbed by strange moons. He is pale like an ivory statue and as pure as the moon. Jokanaan asks, "Who is this woman looking at me?" and tells her to go away. Salomé begs him to speak, saying his voice is like wine. She tells him she desires his body. Jokanaan curses her. The Syrian, in distress, stabs himself and falls dead between Salomé and the prophet. Ignoring this, Salomé continues begging Jokanaan to let her kiss him. He tells her to seek the Lord, refuses to look at her, and goes back into the cistern.

The First Soldier insists they move the Syrian's body so that Herod will not see it. Suddenly, the court enters. Herod calls for Salomé, while Herodias scolds him for always staring at her. Herod looks at the moon and says it has a strange appearance, like a drunken woman looking for lovers. Herodias dismisses his comment, saying the moon is just the moon and tells him to come inside. Herod refuses and orders the servants to bring the banquet outside. He then slips on the Syrian's blood and gasps in shock. He takes it as a bad omen. The Soldiers pretend they do not know why the Syrian killed himself.

Jokanaan proclaims that his prophecies are coming true. Herodias asks Herod to silence the prophet because he constantly insults her. Herod does not want to harm him, as he fears him. A Jew says that God has hidden himself, and that is why there is evil in the land. Jokanaan declares that the "Savior of the world" is coming. A Nazarene says Jokanaan is speaking of the Messiah, who performs miracles. Herodias laughs. Jokanaan curses a woman with "golden eyes" and "gilded eyelids," saying she will be stoned to death, pierced with swords, and crushed under shields. Herodias is furious that Herod allows him to say such things. She reminds Herod that she is his wife. To change the subject, Herod suggests they toast to Caesar.

Herod, distracted by Salomé, asks her to dance for him. She refuses. He pleads with her, swearing to give her anything she wants. Salomé dances. Herod tells her to name her reward. She asks for the head of Jokanaan on a silver platter. Herodias applauds her. Shocked, Herod begs her to choose something else. He offers her an emerald from Caesar that allows one to see far distances. Salomé refuses and continues demanding Jokanaan's head. Herod accuses her of asking this only because he looked at her. He promises not to look at anything or anyone anymore. "Only in mirrors should one look, for mirrors show us only masks." He offers her his white peacocks with golden feet, but she does not care. Herod tries to persuade her that Jokanaan might be a holy man and that his death could bring disaster. He offers her all his hidden jewels and even the sacred veil of the temple, but she refuses everything.

Herod gives up, and a Soldier takes his death-ring to the frightened Executioner. A moment later, a large black arm reaches out of the cistern, holding Jokanaan's head on a silver platter. Salomé seizes it and speaks to the head. She tells it that now she will finally kiss its lips. But she wonders why Jokanaan will not look at her. He saw his God, but he never looked at her. She says she is hungry for his body, and nothing can satisfy her. She was a virgin, and now she has taken his virginity. If he had looked at her, he would have loved her. Love is greater than death.

Herod declares that Salomé is a monster. He refuses to stay and orders the servants to put out the torches. He does not want to see anything, nor does he want anything to see him. "Put out the torches! Hide the moon! Hide the stars!" he cries. He starts to climb the staircase to the palace, and the stage becomes dark. In the darkness, Salomé's voice is heard, saying she has kissed Jokanaan's mouth. She says it tastes bitter, like blood or love. A moonbeam shines on her, covering her in light. Herod turns, sees her, and orders the Soldiers to kill her. They rush forward and crush her under their shields.