The Fury

Elliot introduces the “[w]ild, unpredictable Greek wind” early in the story as a motif (1). Wind is often a symbol of change, as Elliot illustrates with his depiction of the wind that “stir[s] up all the sand in the seabed, turning the water murky, dark, and dangerous” (24). In The Fury, the wind doesn’t just symbolize change but is also a harbinger of chaos and bad luck. Agathi illustrates how this representation of the wind is also a part of local lore—she remembers her grandmother calling it “to menos, which means ‘the fury’ in English” (24).

The wind is also directly connected to Lana’s island, Aura, which is named “after the Greek goddess of the ‘morning air’ or the ‘breeze.’ A pretty name, which belied the ferocity of the wind and of the goddess herself” (24). Aura is a minor Greek goddess, and naming the island draws another connection to Greek mythology. It also subverts Aura’s status as a minor deity, as her “breeze” changes into “[w]ild, unpredictable Greek wind. Wind that drives you mad” (1).

As the action on the island escalates, so does the wind. Michaelides uses this parallel to underscore the violence and chaos happening on Aura and to increase tension; at the peak, “the winds appear[]…And the fury beg[ins]” (142).