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bookblob's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
anniskw's review against another edition
5.0
Reread of my favourite play (the Vellacott translation). I loved it even more this time, whilst reading intentionally for the theme of freedom which I consider to be the core of the play.
Plus the final line makes me scream because it is so good.
Plus the final line makes me scream because it is so good.
rebjam's review against another edition
5.0
What does a 2000 year old play have to tell us about our lives today. . .astonishingly quite a bit. Hecuba was the Queen of Troy and watched her city destroyed and her sons killed or taken as slaves after the Greek's destroyed Troy. . .her rages against war are prescient today still...
dan1066's review against another edition
4.0
Where can I find Hecuba, who once was queen of Ilium, ye Trojan maidens?
Evidently there's two plays set during the aftermath of the Trojan war focusing on the women of Troy: [b:The Trojan Women|3254|The Trojan Women|Euripides|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348667122l/3254._SY75_.jpg|389355] and this one. Unlike The Trojan Women, Euripides embeds more--slightly more--action into the drama. Instead of a series of lamentations, we now have a series of lamentations punctured with screaming and violence. First, Hecuba loses her baby girl Polyxena and then receives the startling news her baby boy Polydorus, sent to the king of Thrace with gold to escape the war, was murdered as soon as the war was lost. She begs Agamemnon to allow her to exact revenge on her son's murderer, Polymestor. Agamemnon is all right with the project so long as his involvement is unrevealed. He then wonders how Hecuba plans to subdue a man:
AGAMEMNON: How are women to master men?
HECUBA: Numbers are a fearful thing.
Hecuba and Polyxena are interesting female characters within a Greek play. Hecuba, like Medea, exacts revenge on a man. While I enjoyed the play, it's not as good as Euripides' other plays [b:The Bacchae|380609|The Bacchae|Euripides|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328704140l/380609._SY75_.jpg|1842204] or [b:Medea|752900|Medea|Euripides|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328868366l/752900._SY75_.jpg|2936587].
Evidently there's two plays set during the aftermath of the Trojan war focusing on the women of Troy: [b:The Trojan Women|3254|The Trojan Women|Euripides|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348667122l/3254._SY75_.jpg|389355] and this one. Unlike The Trojan Women, Euripides embeds more--slightly more--action into the drama. Instead of a series of lamentations, we now have a series of lamentations punctured with screaming and violence. First, Hecuba loses her baby girl Polyxena and then receives the startling news her baby boy Polydorus, sent to the king of Thrace with gold to escape the war, was murdered as soon as the war was lost. She begs Agamemnon to allow her to exact revenge on her son's murderer, Polymestor. Agamemnon is all right with the project so long as his involvement is unrevealed. He then wonders how Hecuba plans to subdue a man:
AGAMEMNON: How are women to master men?
HECUBA: Numbers are a fearful thing.
Hecuba and Polyxena are interesting female characters within a Greek play. Hecuba, like Medea, exacts revenge on a man. While I enjoyed the play, it's not as good as Euripides' other plays [b:The Bacchae|380609|The Bacchae|Euripides|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328704140l/380609._SY75_.jpg|1842204] or [b:Medea|752900|Medea|Euripides|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328868366l/752900._SY75_.jpg|2936587].
romanoirs's review
4.0
I love how Euripides plays are experimental and explore a range of complex topics as well as social issues of the time. I loved loved loved Hecuba. She's such a tragic figure and it's nice to see the aftermath of the Trojan War from the eyes of the Trojans.
readsbynoor's review
4.0
first read through before semester starts and interesting story! hope I get better at analyzing these texts soon
kylieboyer's review
5.0
Oh this is one of my favorites.
“neither earth nor ocean produces a creature as savage and monstrous as woman avenged.”
“No man on earth is truly free. All are slaves of money or necessity.”
“I admit to being skeptical of women in a matter like this.” “Why? Women killed Aegyptus’ sons. Women emptied Lemnos of its males: we murdered every one. And so it shall be here.”
“neither earth nor ocean produces a creature as savage and monstrous as woman avenged.”
“No man on earth is truly free. All are slaves of money or necessity.”
“I admit to being skeptical of women in a matter like this.” “Why? Women killed Aegyptus’ sons. Women emptied Lemnos of its males: we murdered every one. And so it shall be here.”
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