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The play has a generally happy ending, although this does not in
itself prevent it from being classified as a tragedy, and a
surprising number of ancient Greek tragedies do have happy
endings (likewise, a comedy is not necessarily defined by a happy
ending). The happy ending has some dark connotations, though,
with the disturbingly needless slaughter by Menelaus of the
unarmed men on the escape ship, and the sinister moment when
Theonoe is almost killed by her brother in retribution. The plot
contrivance of Helen and Menelaus trickery and their escape on a
ship is almost identical to that used in Euripides play Iphigenia
in Tauris.
Despite some comic touches in the play, though, its underlying
message - its disturbing questions about the pointlessness of war
- is very much tragic, particularly the realization that ten years of
war (and the consequent deaths of thousands of men) was all for
the sake of a mere phantom. The tragic aspect of the play is also
enhanced by the mention of some more personal collateral
deaths, such as when Teucer brings Helen the news that her
mother, Leda, has killed herself due to the shame her daughter
has brought, and it is also suggested that her brothers, the
Dioscori, Castor and Polydeuces, committed suicide over her
(although they became deified in the process).
Varian ini pada mitos Helen didasarkan pada cerita pertama kali
diusulkan oleh sejarawan Yunani Herodotus, sekitar tiga puluh
tahun sebelum bermain ditulis. Menurut tradisi ini, Helen dari
Sparta dirinya tidak pernah dibawa ke Troy oleh Paris, hanya dia
"eidolon" (hantu mirip atau simulacrum dibuat oleh Hermes atas
perintah Hera). Nyata Helen benar-benar dibawa pergi ke Mesir
oleh para dewa di mana dia mendekam selama bertahun-tahun
dari Perang Troya, di bawah perlindungan Raja Proteus Mesir. Ada
dia tetap pernah setia kepada suaminya Raja Menelaus, meskipun
kutukan pada dirinya dari Yunani dan Trojan sama untuk
perselingkuhan dia seharusnya dan untuk memicu perang di
tempat pertama.