What a twist

The most interesting thought which came to me as I watched Euripides' Hecuba was how the the irrational was presented as rational and everyone (including myself) just went with it. The clever use of intense emotion combined with rhetoric creates several instances throughout the play in which the audience is introduced to a situation which seems crazy, but then is rationalized and made to seem acceptable.

 The first instance was when Hecuba's daughter Polyxena decides to just die instead of being a slave. In her monologue she tells her reasoning behind it, and because of the passion in her speech I was convinced that that was the correct decision. Even though it involved her being a human sacrifice! I was impressed how when the audience first hears of how she will be sacrificed we feel an immediate disgust but when she is led off stage I felt like it wasn't that bad of an with the idea. I had been spun 180 degrees.

This 180 degree twist happened several more times throughout the play. I can remember how I was originally disgusted with Hecuba’s decision to kill Polymester and his sons. But after the act I was somehow lulled into thinking, “justice required this!” How this murderous act was camouflaged into justified retaliation is a macabre use of rhetoric.

I was also how the women of Troy went in a whole 360 in regards to being shipped off to be slaves. At one point they are lamenting how they are slaves and will be consigned to a hard life, but then suddenly they begin to fantasize where they will be taken. They mention famous cities and become almost excited to leave and cast their future upon fate. Later when they are actually to the ships they realize that there’s nothing enchanting about being forced into servitude. They end up lamenting their fate once more.