Arts & International Affairs: Volume 2, Number 2 | Page 103

The role of Queen Hecuba resonated strongly with many of the women. “We
were all Queens in our own houses,” said one, lamenting not only material
losses, but also the loss of self-determination. As refugees, Syrian families
are forced to rely on charitable donations as they are not legally permitted
to work. For another cast member, Hecuba’s sad departure from Troy, as she
reluctantly bids it farewell, strongly evoked her feelings when fleeing Syria:
“When Hecuba turns to have a last look at Troy she makes a speech
about never seeing her country ever again, and I cry when I read it,
because when we were at the border about to cross into Jordan my
husband told me to look back at Syria for one last time, because we
might never see it again.” (Schneider ����).
Indeed, Hecuba’s words about Troy could apply to Syria today: “The name of
my country will pass into obscurity; all is scattered far and wide, and hapless
Troy has ceased to be.”
Still from Syria: The Trojan Women
102