Theatre History Question, Essay Example

The two plays Women of Troy and Seagull are very different. They are years apart and were written for very different audiences. The play entitled The Women of Troy, which was written by Euripides in the year 415BC was a Greek tragedy and was about the struggles of the women in Troy after the Trojan War. Whilst Seagull was a play which shows the romantic and artistic conflicts between four characters, it can be regarded as a comedy. The plays were written in connection with the writers’ other work; Women of Troy being the third in a series of plays about the Trojan War, and Seagull was considered to be the first in all of Chekhov’s four major plays.

In comparison to Sophocles, Euripides showed men for who they are, whilst Sophocles showed men as how they should be. The play Women of Troy was concerned with everyday happenings.

Chorus: Thy fate, royal mistress, now thou knowest; but for me, what Hellene or Achaean is master of my destiny?

Talthybius:  Ho, servants! haste and bring Cassandra forth to me here, that I may place her our captain’s hands, and then conduct to the rest of the chiefs the captives each hath had assigned. Ha what is the blaze of torches there within? What do these Trojan dames? Are they firing the chambers, because they must leave this land and be carried away to Argos? Are they setting themselves aflame in their longing for death? Of a truth the free bear their troubles in cases like this with a stiff neck. Ho, there! open! lest their deed, which suits them well but finds small favour with the Achaeans, bring blame on me.

Hecuba:  ‘Tis not that they are setting aught ablaze, but my child Cassandra, frenzied maid, comes rushing wildly hither. (1.1 Euripides)

This is when Cassandra was taken by Talthybius, and the chorus refers to the captive Trojan women. This scene and dialogue in particular shows great pain, and the characters – Hecuba and Cassandra – were to adhere to the men of their society. This was supposed to be performed with heavy drama, and the fact that all the captive Trojan Women are in one chorus suggests that they do not have individual voices in the play.

Arkadina: [Whispers] What decadent rubbish is this?

Treplieff: [Imploringly] Mother! and…

Arkadina: I smell sulphur. Is that done on purpose?

Treplieff: Yes.

Arkadina: Oh, I see; that is part of the effect.

Treplieff: Mother! (1.1 Chekhov)

This play is supposed to be more lighthearted. People are more able to relate to this, and it shows to have many critics. For the play to be centralized around an actress and a playwright, it shows how difficult life on stage can be for these people, dealing with all these critics. At one point or another, a character will be complaining about their lives, their boredom, lack of fame and so on.

Chorus: Ye guardians of the grey-haired Hecuba, see how your mistress is sinking speechless to the ground! Take hold of her! will ye let her fall, ye worthless slaves? lift up again,   from where it lies, her silvered head. (1.1 Euripides)

This again, emphasizes the drama in Trojan Women. It’s oddly modern for its time when dealing with the aftermath of war. It’s supposed to be performed in a way where the audience can feel the pain of the characters, and to an extent relate. Hecuba was losing her daughter to the evils of the world, and as a woman she was powerless against this. It shows how someone who was once well off now has to answer to the rule of men.

Nina: You work too hard to realise the importance of your writings. What if you are discontented with yourself? To others you appear a great and splendid man. If I were a writer like you I should devote my whole life to the service of the Russian people, knowing at the same time that their welfare depended on their power to rise to the heights I had attained, and the people should send me before them in a chariot of triumph.

Trigorin: In a chariot? Do you think I am Agamemnon? [They both smile.] (1.2 Chekhov)

This part amused me because of its reference to one of the characters in Women of Troy. It shows issues of discontentment with ones’ self and is done so lightheartedly. Each of the characters in this play faces an internal issue throughout the film, and most of them are artists of a certain craft. There is an actress, a playwright, a novelist and so on. This all fits in with how everyone is a critic, more harshly on themselves.

Chorus: O my royal mistress, defend thy children’s and thy country.’s cause, bringing to naught her persuasive arguments, for she pleads well in spite of all her villainy; ’tis monstrous this!

Hecuba: First will I take up the cause of those goddesses, and prove how she perverts the truth… Was it to win a nobler lord than Zeus? or was Athena bent on finding ‘mongst the gods a husband, she who in her dislike of marriage won from her sire the boon of remaining unwed? (Euripides).

This part shows anger towards the gods. Though it may be mythology, it is written in a way in which the audience can relate. When in times of desperation, anger or resent, people tend to curse someone. Again, this depicts the heaviness of the tragedy in Euripides’ play.

Arkadina: shakes her head.

Trigorin: Do let us stay!

Arkadina: I know, dearest, what keeps you here, but you must control yourself. Be sober; your emotions have intoxicated you a little.

Trigorin: You must be sober, too. Be sensible; look upon what has happened as a true friend would. [Taking her hand] You are capable of self-sacrifice. Be a friend to me and release me!(Chekhov)

This part dramatizes the story. Trigorin is sad and speaks of his hear crying out. However, if you compare his miseries to that of Hecuba, you may think that he is over-reacting. But for him, this was the end of his life because of his love. This can be compared to Hecuba’s love for her daughter.

Both societies approach their craft in very different ways, Women of Troy was very direct in its drama and was presented in a heavy manner which should be done with great passion. Whilst the play of Chekhov – Seagull ­– is done in a slight cheekier way, yet also presents itself with the dramatization of romantics. However, I believe that Seagull can be performed a slightly exaggerated tone. Over emphasizing the pains the characters feel, whilst in the play Women of Troy drama would come in naturally due to the tragic events.

Works Cited

Euripides, The Women of Troy. 415 BC.

Anton Chekhov, Seagull. 1896.