Helen of Troy

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at how one of the most controversial characters in Greek mythology is that of Helen which has been discussed over and over again by various authors. According to some authors, Helen is an inspirational female, transcending the strict boundaries imposed on Greek women. On the other hand, some authors think of her as a deceitful and shameful woman which was primarily the cause of death of thousands of Trojan and Greek soldiers. It looks at how these differences can be observed in the lyric poetry, art and in epic tradition and how writers such as Homer and Alkaios share the negative views about Helen, while authors like Sappho portray her as an innocent being.

From the Paper:

"Homer, one of the most famous authors of the epic literature, has a complex version of Helen's guilt and the blame associated with her character. His book, Iliad is filled with negative references toward Helen from every character that mentions her name. Whenever Helen's activities are described in the Iliad, she displays self consciousness about the scandal of her behavior, leaving her husband and a son for a foreigner and causing the war at Troy. Her character has always been associated with shame. According to Iliad, she not only disgraces herself by choosing another man over her husband, but she also disgraces all of Hellas who goes to war for ten years over such an unworthy woman. "

More papers on Helen of Troy:

• Analytical Essay # 120580 : "Helen of Troy"
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• Film Review # 68156 : "Troy": A Mythical Remake"

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