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Linda's Reviews > The Trojan Women
The Trojan Women
by
by
Fortune is the prey of whims and,
like a maniac, turns somersaults.
No man for long escapes her jolts.
In Ancient Greece, the victors of war kill all their enemies' men and enslave their women and children. The Trojan Women depicts the final days of Troy as the women and children are waiting to learn their fates.
Euripides focuses on the Trojan royal family, Queen Hecuba, her daughters, her sons' wives, and her grandchildren. It is a sad and gruesome tale.
I read this play as part of a course and learned that Euripides wrote it as a warning to Athens at the height of the Peloponnesian War. By setting the tragedy in the mythical past, he hoped to make Athenians reflect upon the possible consequences of their current debacle in the same way that Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible during the McCarthy Era in the United States.
While The Trojan Women can be painful to read, Euripides' finely crafted dialogue and deft characterization make this a moving experience. Highly recommend.
like a maniac, turns somersaults.
No man for long escapes her jolts.
In Ancient Greece, the victors of war kill all their enemies' men and enslave their women and children. The Trojan Women depicts the final days of Troy as the women and children are waiting to learn their fates.
Euripides focuses on the Trojan royal family, Queen Hecuba, her daughters, her sons' wives, and her grandchildren. It is a sad and gruesome tale.
I read this play as part of a course and learned that Euripides wrote it as a warning to Athens at the height of the Peloponnesian War. By setting the tragedy in the mythical past, he hoped to make Athenians reflect upon the possible consequences of their current debacle in the same way that Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible during the McCarthy Era in the United States.
While The Trojan Women can be painful to read, Euripides' finely crafted dialogue and deft characterization make this a moving experience. Highly recommend.
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Reading Progress
October 8, 2022
–
Started Reading
October 9, 2022
–
Finished Reading
October 10, 2022
– Shelved
October 10, 2022
– Shelved as:
ancient-world
October 10, 2022
– Shelved as:
classics
October 10, 2022
– Shelved as:
drama
October 10, 2022
– Shelved as:
greece
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Bruce
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Oct 10, 2022 02:56PM
We saw a searing production of this play starring Helen Mirren. Yeah, we were lucky!
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Bruce wrote: "We saw a searing production of this play starring Helen Mirren. Yeah, we were lucky!"Sounds great. I am assuming she played Hecuba.
Almost certainly (it's been many years). Btw -- I am demonstrating incredible self-control by not doing a Hamlet thing here about Hecuba. It's actually a little painful. ;-)
I admire how you've taken on this study and it shows that you are really enjoying it.
So nicely reviewed and very interesting, Linda, especially in reading about its backstory and reasoning. Makes me wonder whether the warning worked in some way.
Linda wrote: "Bruce wrote: "We saw a searing production of this play starring Helen Mirren. Yeah, we were lucky!"Sounds great. I am assuming she played Hecuba."
It came back to me last night that it wasn't in "Trojan Women" that we saw Helen Mirren, it was "Phedre."
Stellar review, Linda! I recently read Medea, but you made this one sound tempting, too.
Lisa wrote: "I admire how you've taken on this study and it shows that you are really enjoying it."Thanks, Lisa. We are hoping to go to Greece in the Spring.
Ron wrote: "So nicely reviewed and very interesting, Linda, especially in reading about its backstory and reasoning. Makes me wonder whether the warning worked in some way."Thanks, Ron. The warning didn't work. The Athenians got deeper into the war until they lost.
Dmitri wrote: "Very interesting Linda!"Thanks, Dmitri
Nika wrote: "Stellar review, Linda! I recently read Medea, but you made this one sound tempting, too."Thanks, Nika. Medea is probably technically a better play, but I liked this one more as it was easy to emphasize with the characters.
Beautiful review Linda. I'm learning a lot just reading your reviews! Thank you!
Great review, Linda - thank you for contextualising the play and for the interesting parallel you draw with Arthur Miller's play. Your journey through these Greek plays is a joy to witness.
Barbara wrote: "Beautiful review Linda. I'm learning a lot just reading your reviews! Thank you!"Thanks very much. Barbara.
Ilse wrote: "Great review, Linda - thank you for contextualising the play and for the interesting parallel you draw with Arthur Miller's play. Your journey through these Greek plays is a joy to witness."Thanks for your kind words, Ilse.
Sounds like an incredible class! Is this a history course or a lit course?
Its a Literature class. It is from the Great courses and Elizabeth Van Diver is the professor. She is a fantastic lecturer, clear and very accessible... aterrific guide. Its called Greek Tragedy.
I love the Arthur Miller reference Linda. History repeats.
Your comment on my review of Parker’s novel brought me here. I definitely have to read this now.
You might like Natalie Haynes’ book Pandora’s Jar, which looks at multiple versions in Greek myth of women like Clytemnestra, Medea and Pandora. Excellent and thought provoking.
Lyn wrote: "You might like Natalie Haynes’ book Pandora’s Jar, which looks at multiple versions in Greek myth of women like Clytemnestra, Medea and Pandora. Excellent and thought provoking."
Thanks for the recommendation. I will check it out.
Wonderful review, Linda. Your reviews always inspire me to do a little follow-up reading. Thanks for that :-)
Libby, Thanks for your kind words.
Fascinating historical context, Linda, Great review! October! Not sure how I missed it, need to be more vigilant! :)
Jonathan, I just saw this. Thanks for your kind words.
