Women in ancient Greek Literature

Andromache

• The titular figure is the former wife of Hector
• She has become the slave of Pyrrhus, son of Achilles
• She is forced to have a son with Pyrrhus
• Pyrrhus' childless wife Hermione is envious
• She plans to kill Andromache's son

Trojan Women

• Focuses on the female survivors of the Trojan War
• The main character is Hecuba, the former queen of Troy
• Hecuba and the other women are sent away as slaves one by one
• Eventually Andromache is sent away and her son Astyanax is killed
• Hecuba is left to bury her grandson, symbolically ending her bloodline 

Agamemnon

• Tells of Agamemnon's return home
• His wife, Clytemnestra, has planned to kill him 
• She seeks to avenge the sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia
• She kills him and then takes power with her lover Aigisthos
• It is hinted that her son Orestes will take revenge for the king's death

Motherhood

• One common theme between each play is motherhood
• Andromache loves her son even though she hates his father
• Hecuba tries to save her grandson, Astyanax, but fails 
• Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon because he killed their daughter
• Most of the women's actions are connected with motherhood

Lack of power

• Women have little power in the plays
• Andromache and Hecuba are both slaves
• Even when they were not they had little power
• Clytemnestra wants power over Agamemnon so she kills him
• Even then she is still the pawn of her lover, Aigisthos