"For Hecuba!" is a play summary and analysis by BingHecuba and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The ancient Greek playwright Euripides wrote a tragedy called "Hecuba" around 423 BCE.The story depicts the grief of Hecuba, queen of the fallen city of Troy, over the sacrifice of her daughter Polyxena, and the revenge she takes over her son Polydorus, as the Greeks are heading home after the war.It is one of the most depressing dramas of all time.

The ghost of Polydorus explains how he came to be on the shores of the Chersonese peninsula of Thrace, where he was sent by King Priam to protect his friend Polymestor.

The shade of Polydorus explains how the victorious Greeks and their captives stayed there in order to appease the spirit of the Greek warrior Achilles, and how they had weighed anchor in that same place on their way home.

Queen Hecuba of Troy is introduced, anguishing over a nightmare she has had, and mourning her great losses of her husband and sons, in addition to the added torment of having to sacrifice her own daughter, Polyxena.The Chorus of captive women sympathize with Hecuba.

Polyxena is with her mother in a sad scene until Odysseus comes to fetch her for the sacrifice.Odysseus tried to convince Hecuba not to take the loss of her daughter too seriously.Hecuba tried to shame Odysseus into releasing her daughter, but he was unmoved.Polyxena declared that she preferred death to slavery.

The death of Polyxena was described by the herald Talthybius, and Hecuba ordered that her corpse not be touched.The corpse of Hecuba's son Polydorus was found washed up on the shore by the servant who fetches the water.Hecuba immediately suspected that Polymestor had killed her son for the treasure and began to plot her revenge.

She called on the Greek leader Agamemnon for help and he allowed her to go to Polymestor.Hecuba sent Polymestor a message pretending that she wanted to tell him about the treasure she had buried at Troy.They are taken to Hecuba's tent, where they are overwhelmed by the women inside.

After blood-curdling screams are heard from inside the tent, Hecuba emerges triumphant.Polymestor crawls out from the tent, blinded and in agony.He curses Hecuba and threatens to kill her.

Polymestor and Hecuba will be judged by Agamemnon.Hecuba convinced Agamemnon that Polymestor killed Polydorus for the sake of the gold.According to Polymestor, Hecuba will die on the journey to Greece and her daughter will be killed by Agamemnon's wife, Clytemnestra.Polymestor is sent to live on a desert island by Agamemnon at the end of the play.

One of the few tragedies that evoke a sense of utter anguish and destruction is "Hecuba", and there is almost no let up in the mood of suffering and desolation.Most ancient tragedies end in unmitigated hopelessness for all the principle characters, and even fewer imply that their terrible fates were richly deserved.

The play is remarkable for the grace and purity of its style, and it has striking scenes and beautiful poetical passages.

Hecuba is one of the most tragic figures in classical literature.After the fall of Troy, her husband, King Priam, was killed in battle by the Greek hero, Achilles, as was one of her sons, Troilus.

Hecuba can be forgiven a little bitterness.The play concentrates on the psychological process by which a victim turns after suffering multiple deaths of their husband and sons, and Hecuba is then confronted with two more excruciating losses, which are enough to finally tip her over into the role of vindictive aggressor.

The first part deals with the death of Hecuba's daughter Polyxena at the hands of the Greeks, while the second part focuses on her response to the murder.

Although Hecuba has more excuse than the male characters for her atrocious behavior, her psychological trauma turns her into a villain as well as blinding Polymestor, resulting in not one but two lives for the life of Polydorus.Hecuba behaves like a beast when her emotions get out of control, like the blinded Polymestor.