Helen Mirren

Myth and Its Revision. Myths gain a literary autonomy as they evolve through time into sovereign narratives used as socio-cultural foundational texts. Mythic sources may originate or accrue from religious, historical, political, or cultural references, but each of these sources holds: “ a double power. It [the myth] exists or appears to exist objectively, in the public sphere, and consequently confers on the writer the sort of authority unavailable to someone who writes "merely" of the private…

in many different ways. One very widely known myth is that of a girl named Helen. She was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, and sister of Dioscuri and Clytemnestra. She became very well known as being the prettiest woman in the whole world. Many artists, poets, and writers have made many pieces of art or poems describing her and her many different suitors. In the painting “Helen of Troy” by Evelyn de Morgan, she portrays Helen as self-centered or conceited, and that she only thinks about herself by…

Roughly three thousand years ago on the Eastern Aegean Coast a blind poet by the name of Homer created the Iliad. At its core is a lengthy account of the rage of Achilles that reflects Homer’s ancient audiences’ values. Troy is a modern day adaptation of Homer’s work written by David Benioff. Like the great entertainer before him, Benioff was faced with crafting a story to suit the qualities of his audience. To discuss the similarities and differences throughout the two works, one must consider…

Iliad and both the movie and the poem had the same overall plots, such as the dispute or enmity between warrior Achilles and King Agamemnon, and these events being triggered when Trojan prince Paris ‘stole’ King Menelaus’s(Agamemnon’s brother) wife, Helen, daughter of Zeus, considered to be the most beautiful woman. However, there are major differences regarding many factors of these plots which include several characters dying in the Iliad but surviving in the movie Troy, the time and the…

Hector and many others warriors to criticize Paris and call him a coward. Even after he loses the fight and is saved by Aphrodite he stays in his room with Helen rather than returning to the battle (III. 432-525). Instead of doing what most warriors of the time would do and return to battle immediately, Paris chooses to stay in bed with Helen and abandons his fellow Trojans. By being a coward many Trojans start to lose respect for Pairs, including his own brother Hector. Without the respect of…

The Iliad is an epic poem set in the Trojan War about a decade into the war; mainly centered on the hero Achilles. Throughout the complete tale, the societies and cultures experienced many difficulties due to two types of culture. These two type of culture would be both honor and shame culture. The honor culture consist of being the mightiest warrior, to have glory and fame and to exact revenge on those who have wronged you. This culture is usually followed by the majority of the Greek heroes.…

In Aeschylus’ play Agamemnon, the dynamic, strong female character of Clytaemnestra is introduced. Left alone for ten years, she has become bitter after Agamemnon had sacrificed their daughter, Iphigeneia, in order to sail to Troy. Clytaemnestra is waiting for her revenge. Clytaemnestra’s two speeches after Agamemnon has returned to Argos and is entering the palace reveal that she is convicting him of the murder of Iphigeneia and sentencing him to death. In Clytaemnestra’s first speech when…

says these lines right after he and Helen finish talking about his experience in the war before coming home. It is disturbing that Paris is so shallow that when there is not anything else to talk about, he shifts to his thirst for sex. By “losing themselves in love” it is implied that they both love each other and cannot get enough, but in reality Helen regrets her decision of leaving Menelaus, as she admitted so earlier on to Priam. Also, he “calls for Helen” due to his “hunger for her”,…

and people come back home a completely different person. War is most definitely not something beautiful to celebrate. People fight to protect what they love. Hector fights to protect his wife from a life of slavery; Menelaus fights for his love, Helen. Achilles goes to battle because Patroclus, a close friend, has died. Even though friends are a different love than lovers, it’s still…

blown warfare or have an important effect over the outcome of a war. In one example, Paris is called to settle a dispute over which of the three goddesses is the most beautiful. He is given Helen of Troy, wife of Menelaus, as the prize for his decision by Aphrodite. Paris, in turn, winds up kidnapping Helen, which results in the Trojan War. In another example, the disagreement between Agamemnon and Achilleus begins over a woman. When Agamemnon is forced to return his war prize, Chryseis, to…