Trojan Women

What can the characters of Andromache and Helen tell us about women’s role in the Athenian society of Euripides’ day?

One of the most prominent duties for the women in Trojan Women is the performance of ritual mourning. What does this ritual entail? How does it help us to understand the characters and themes of this play?

Cassandra, who is doomed to deliver true prophecies but never be believed, gives a series of speeches that leave Hecuba and the Chorus confused. In what way do we the audience interpret Cassandra’s message differently than Hecuba? How might this understanding affect how we interpret the entire play?