Abstract

“Zeus Protector, protect us with care. From the subtle sand of the Nile delta our ship set sail. And we deserted: from a holy precinct bordering Syria we fled into exile...” This quote is from the first lines of Aeschylus’ Suppliant Maidens, a Greek tragedy that follows a group of young women who come to Argos to flee forced marriage to their cousins. Pelasgus, King of Argos, worries that granting them asylum will bring war. With the help of Danaus, father of the fleeing daughters, the King convinces the city to grant them entrance. But safety is quickly snatched away, as the Egyptian cousins arrive to take their betrothed. Pelasgus catches wind of the trouble and brings an armed force, causing the herald cousin from Egypt to threaten war as he withdraws. The Maidens pray for safety in a new land, safety from their old home, and that they may be seen as people in need, not a threat to a country. Yet throughout the play, they are judged by their ethnicity, gender, and intentions. Their search for asylum from Argos leaves them vulnerable in a new country, and the King’s inability to see past their “barbaric” qualities makes them even more vulnerable. The issues this play deals with remain prevalent in our culture to this day. By discussing issues raised by the play of racial and gender identity, immigration politics, and the internal conflict between human empathy and the state’s morality, this paper acknowledges the plights these women faced and makes connections to issues seen currently in the United States, in hopes of exploring the state of this country and reconnecting with our humanity.

How to Cite