The Persians

Atossa, the Persian Queen Mother, is the widow of Darius the Great and mother of Xerxes. The chorus describes Atossa as a nurturing figure and a very noble woman, the “most exalted among the slim-wasted / women of Persia” (Lines 155-56). She was “spouse of one who was a god to the / Persians, and […] the mother of their god too” (Lines 157-58). Because of this, Atossa holds an important and venerable position in Persian society. In the action of the play, Atossa is torn between her role as the de facto leader of the Persian people and a mother. Feeling the responsibilities of public life that her son Xerxes has abandoned, Atossa worries about the geo-political status of Persia in the wake of Xerxes’ mistakes in Greece; deeply connected to the dynasty of her late husband, Atossa relies on the counselors Xerxes appointed for advice and augury. When all else fails, she summons the spirit of Darius to provide leadership advice. At the same time, Atossa never forgets the duties of a mother—her emotional reactions to the events of the play reflect those of any woman whose son has gone off to war. Atossa listens to the messenger’s depiction of Xerxes’ loss with horror, and mourns alongside the chorus.