Andromache In Homer
Andromache is one of the finest characters in Homer; she played a small but important role. Distinguished by her affection for her husband and child, her misfortunes and the resignation with which she endures them. "Andromache is ethereal in her appearance" (Jones, 4). She is tall and stately; and she carries herself in the royalty that she really is. Her hair is dark, like most Greeks of that time period, long and curly. Her body is tall and lithe; her skin, tanned by the morning suns. "Her eyes are of a beautiful blue matching the ocean tides that crash up on Troy's morning beaches, and her vestments and robes are made out of the finest materials"(Jones, 3). Andromache seems to illustrate Homer's idea of the good wife and mother; she
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Andromache's father and seven brothers fell to the hands Achilles when their town was taken by him; her mother, ransomed at a high, and was slain by Artemis. During the Trojan War her husband was slain by Achilles, Andromache dealt with Hectors death pretty well, she believes that "Better death than life in bitterness. No pain feels death, which has no sense of ills: but who is prospered, and has fallen on woe, forlorn of soul strays for from older bliss" (Hurt-Wilkie, 245). Andromache's fears heralded what was to take place; for Troy was sacked, her little son Astyanax was murdered, and herself was taken captive by Neoptolemus, son of the man who slewed her husband. Little Astyanax was thrown down by the Achaeans from the battlements of Troy, as they wished to annihilate the Royal House of Troy. Andromache was Neoptolemus concubine, when Neoptolemus took Andromache she begs him to let her be free. Andromache tells him that she is widowed, about to be turned into a slave, unhappy and that she wouldn't be fun; she would be a sad mate for him. Neoptolemus didn't care what Andromache said so he took her and treated her as a prize of war and forced her to accompany her to accompany her new master to the far off land of Epirus. While in Epirus as Neoptolemus concubine, Andromache bore him three sons name Molossus, Pielus and Pergamus. Andromache then, being again surrounded by enemies, sought to
Andromache's father and seven brothers fell to the hands Achilles when their town was taken by him; her mother, ransomed at a high, and was slain by Artemis. During the Trojan War her husband was slain by Achilles, Andromache dealt with Hectors death pretty well, she believes that "Better death than life in bitterness. No pain feels death, which has no sense of ills: but who is prospered, and has fallen on woe, forlorn of soul strays for from older bliss" (Hurt-Wilkie, 245). Andromache's fears heralded what was to take place; for Troy was sacked, her little son Astyanax was murdered, and herself was taken captive by Neoptolemus, son of the man who slewed her husband. Little Astyanax was thrown down by the Achaeans from the battlements of Troy, as they wished to annihilate the Royal House of Troy. Andromache was Neoptolemus concubine, when Neoptolemus took Andromache she begs him to let her be free. Andromache tells him that she is widowed, about to be turned into a slave, unhappy and that she wouldn't be fun; she would be a sad mate for him. Neoptolemus didn't care what Andromache said so he took her and treated her as a prize of war and forced her to accompany her to accompany her new master to the far off land of Epirus. While in Epirus as Neoptolemus concubine, Andromache bore him three sons name Molossus, Pielus and Pergamus. Andromache then, being again surrounded by enemies, sought to