39 pages • 1 hour read
The Trojan War: A New History
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Chapter 1Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 1 Summary: “War for Helen”
According to Homer, the abduction of the Greek Queen of Sparta, Helen, by Paris, Prince of Troy is the spark that ignited the Trojan War. The story runs a little like Romeo and Juliet, with the charming Paris and the exquisite Helen falling in love despite their dynastic loyalties. Paris violates the sacred laws of marriage and hospitality by taking Helen, who is married to Sparta’s puissant King Menelaus, home with him to Troy. Helen’s wronged husband, Menelaus, summons a mighty army to claim back his bride and honor.
Chapter 1 Analysis
In actuality, there may have been political reasons for Helen’s flight or abduction to Anatolia. Greek historian Herodotus (ca. 485-425 BCE) concurs that there was more than a romantic motive for the war. Bronze Age conflict was often framed in interpersonal rather than abstract terms. Hittite texts chart increased tensions between Troy and Greece in the 1200s, and an eventual alliance between them in 1280 BCE. From Helen’s perspective, it was an auspicious and ambitious move. Anatolian women enjoyed autonomy more than those in Mycenaean Greece. Women’s appearance on seals discovered by archaeologists suggest a level of equality with men.
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