The Portrayal of Helen of Troy in Euripides' 'The Trojan Women' and Christopher Marlowe's 'Dr. Faustus'

Essay from the year 2021 in the subject Literature - Comparative Literature, grade: A, , language: English, abstract: This essay discusses the portrayal of Helen of Troy in Euripides' 'Trojan Women' and her apparition in Marlowe's 'Dr. Faustus'. One of the most recurring figures in literature, Helen of Troy appears in numerous works, whether related to the Trojan War or not. From Homer to more recent times Helen has appeared and has been portrayed by many writers, poets or playwrights each time assuming the role assigned to her in the text. In Euripides' 'Trojan Women', Helen appears as the cause of Troy's devastation and she is given the opportunity to defend herself through the innovation of her physical presence on stage. On the other hand in Marlowe's 'Dr. Faustus' which is more oriented towards religion, she is there as a devil in disguise acquiring a symbolic significance of sensual pleasure as the ultimate temptation.