The Trojan Women
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literature
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date published 11/12/2007
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SummaryEuripides’ Trojan Women exemplifies the cruelty and painful consequences of war, and how they affect women by leaving them powerless and without choices. Several episodes in the play illustrate this loss of choice and power, the death of Astyanax, the sexual slavery of Cassandra and Andromache, and the ultimate irony of Hecuba’s slavery to Odysseus.
The death of Andromache’s son Astyanax is symbolic of the final death of Troy and her brave heroes. Talthybius tells Andromache and the other Trojan women that “A hero’s son could not be allowed to live.” (Euripides, The Trojan Women. page 274) By this Talthybius means that the Greeks will spare no aspect of Troy. It also seems to show some fear on the side of the Greeks, that Astyanax may grow up to carry on Hector’s legacy. “What were you afraid of, that it made you kill this child so savagely? That Troy, which fell, might be raised from the ground once more?”
The death of Andromache’s son Astyanax is symbolic of the final death of Troy and her brave heroes. Talthybius tells Andromache and the other Trojan women that “A hero’s son could not be allowed to live.” (Euripides, The Trojan Women. page 274) By this Talthybius means that the Greeks will spare no aspect of Troy. It also seems to show some fear on the side of the Greeks, that Astyanax may grow up to carry on Hector’s legacy. “What were you afraid of, that it made you kill this child so savagely? That Troy, which fell, might be raised from the ground once more?”
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