1. Aftermath of war
2. Barbaric actions of greeks
-Women
+### Women
- what happened to them
- imagery (violent, vivid) - depicts the women as lamenting. Loss of life, uncertain future, devestation
-Innovative perspective
+### Innovative perspective
+
- strength of the women of Troy
- condemning of Greeks
- Condemning war
- direct reaction to Melos
- women aren't always passive victims
-Greeks
+### Greeks
+
- journey back to Athens
- Gods impact on the trip
- loss of life
- loss of courage
- loss of humanity
+
+"After so many sorrows, and in such despair, words mean nothing". Sadness, agony and lament are feelings well-known by the characters in *The Women o Troy*, and by the end of the play, it is evident that the suffering and unfairness that is instigated in wartime is never worthwhile. As Euripides reasons with readers in regard to this sentiment, he presents an novel and innovative opinion on the aftermath of the Trojan War, and more generally, of mass conflict. This reflection focuses largely on the detriment of the Trojan women themselves, with the females dominating the storytelling in the play. This is another way in which Euripides expresses a new and potentially rebellious perspective - that women are unfairly treated, but have the power to rise up together and be more active in their denial of abuse.
+
+Vivid imagery of the Trojans being "butchered like an animal" introduces the painfully realistic theme of violence in times of war. Euripides rejects the idea of women and children being tortured or killed for pleasure, which is exemplified when Astyanax is needlessly killed by the Greeks. This scene brutally depicts the suffering caused for Astyanax, but more perpetually for the women, particularly Hecuba and Andromache. As "the blood [is] still oozing from the broken bones", Hecuba regrets "what a wretched, meaningless death" that Astyanax unnecessarily suffered. The play makes it clear that his death was callous and unnecessary, pointing out that the Greeks were "so frightened of a child". This flippant behaviour is harshly condemned by Euripides through the women's reaction - of all the violence in the play, the death of Astyanax causes the most emotional grief. As a result, after this event, readers begin to realise that Astyanax was a symbol of hope for the Trojans - the only male left who had the potential to turn the tables on the Greeks. Thus, an epiphany is forced upon readers, namely that despite having little status at the time, women and children may give hope and motivation to the society around them. Such a progressive and innovative concept was unheard of at the time, but Euripides' depiction of violence and its subsequent tragedy enables him to weave this message into the play.