The Trojan Women- Characters

Hecuba
1. Former queen of Troy
  1. Had 19 children with Prius, most are dead
    1. Talthybius told her Polyxena was serving Achilles' tomb
      1. Achilles killed Hector
      2. Polyxena is actually dead
    2. Chopped hair in morning
  2. Monody in prologue
    1. Physically weak, needs a stick
  3. Varies between optimistic and mourning
  4. Still considered a leader despite her fall from status
    1. Disdainful towards Talthybius
  5. Has to be slave to Odysseus
  6. Hates Helen
  7. Often attempts to console and rouse other women
  8. Vengeful- wants Helen dead
Poseidon
1. Greek god of the sea
  1. Initially sided with the Greeks in the war, but then with the Trojans after the Greeks destroyed his temples and walls
  2. Symbols
    1. Horses
    2. Trident
    3. Seafoam
  3. Only appears in the divine prologue to discuss disrupting the Greeks' trip home
Athena
1. Goddess of wisdom and war
  1. Enters in the divine prologue to ask Poseidon to ruin the Greeks' journey home
  2. Symbols
    1. Owls
    2. Spear
    3. Snakes
  3. Sided with the Greeks in the war until they disrespected her by not punishing someone who dragged Cassandra away from Athena's temple
Cassandra
1. Daughter of Hecuba
2. Cursed by Apollo to foresee the future but never be believed
  1. Only foresees her own death
    1. Killed by Clytemnestra
3. Has to be slave to Agamemnon
4. Crazed by curse
5. May be one who is most engaged with reality
Talthybius
1. Greek herald
2. Directs women where to go and what to do
  1. Not actually in charge
3. Sometimes seems to have sympathy
  1. Might be mockery and cruelty
Andromache
1. Widow of Hector and mother of Astyanax
2. Has to be slave to Neoptolemus
  1. Son of Achilles, especially cruel considering Polyxena's supposed position
3. Has to be in control of her emotional state
  1. Suffers loss of husband and son in short period of time
Astyanax
1. Son of Hector and Andromache
2. Heir to Troy
3. Murdered by Greeks to ensure end of reign
Menelaus
1. King of Sparta and Helen's husband
2. Used Helen and Paris as excuse for war
3. Goes to Troy to kill Helen but ends up overwhelmed by her beauty
Chorus
1. Widows of Trojan soldiers
2. Varying ages and abilities e.g. unable to walk
3. Lower status than Hecuba, look up to her as queen
4. Going to be given to different Greek soldiers/officials as slaves
5. Going to all die at sea due to Poseidon's storms
Helen
1. Renowned for her beauty
2. Married to Menelaus, but is either kidnapped by Paris or runs away with him
3. Blamed for start of war by Trojans
4. Doesn't mourn for Trojans and doesn't accept responsibility

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The Trojan Women- Characters

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	Created by Grace Fawcitt over 6 years ago