Women Of Troy Textual Analysis Thread

[J_Rho]

Women Of Troy Textual Analysis Thread

A place to discuss anything related to the VCE English text 'Women Of Troy' by Euripedes

Euripedes, The Women of Troy, Don Taylor (ed), Methuen Drama, 2007 (2)
Presented in 415BC, Euripides’ episodic drama, The Women of Troy focusses on the horrifying consequences of violence, drawing upon the many atrocities that occurred during the Peloponnesian wars. As such, Euripides’ play is a lyrical commentary on loss – of a people, of a city, of a civilisation.
As dawn breaks on the ruins of Troy after the Athenian invasion, the city’s queen and women are confronted by the brutal reality of the battle and the cruelty of their fates. What ensues is a series of lamentations that question the traditional pantheon of gods and the morality of men who seek revenge under the guise of justice. The play thus reflects the universal ugliness of war, exposing a single, tragic truth; that while war devastates women and children particularly, everyone suffers – victims and victors alike.
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[sazabo_c]

Hi! I see no one has posted on here. If anyone is still active, I was wondering how people have figured out how to discuss fate and the gods as separate entities or as intimately linked. Euripides uses several metaphors to describe fate: "madman dancing" with no "pattern or meaning" and "last lottery of fate" - conveying how it is inherently unpredictable. Nonetheless, the gods are predictable in their actions as they are self-serving and clearly cannot control their own fate as both Poseidon and Athena are left disappointed by the actions of the Greeks. Just a few thoughts. I am a wee bit confused on how to talk about them for say a question: 'What does Euripides say about fate and the gods?'