Which theme is associated with the death of Euryalus within the doomed youth motif?

• A. The beauty of life is destroyed by an impersonal force.
• B. The episode is a straightforward military success.
• C. The triumph of personal glory.
• D. The victory of strategic rationality.

Answer: (C)

In the doomed youth motif, the pull of personal glory for a young fighter is shown as both alluring and deadly. Euryalus’ death is driven by a quick, impulsive urge to stand out and be remembered for bravery—he seizes a moment to display his prowess and pursue glory, even when the larger war context invites caution. That moment of self-assertion produces a tragic finale: the young warrior achieves a dramatic, memorable exit, but at the cost of his life. The emphasis is on how youthful bravado and the desire for personal fame can triumph in the moment yet reveal its futility within the broader war, where fate and the collective struggle overshadow any individual achievement.

That’s why the best fit is the triumph of personal glory. The other ideas don’t capture the focus on a young warrior’s self-vision and its consequences: the episode isn’t about fate destroying beauty as an impersonal force, nor is it a straightforward military success or a victory of rational strategy.