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Troy In Clemence Mclaren's Inside The Walls Of Troy

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There are many notable retellings of the story of Troy that focus on the perspectives of minor characters, rather than the central characters commonly known in the Iliad, the great warriors Achilles and Hector. The novel “Inside the Walls of Troy” by Clemence McLaren does just this by featuring the perspectives of Helen of Sparta, the beloved of Paris, and Cassandra of Troy, the daughter of King Priam for different periods of time before, throughout, and after the end of the war. The author, a modern era female writer, focuses the text’s aims and attentions to other modern females, albeit young adults. Due to this specific genre, McLaren’s retelling must fulfill certain expectations, such as relaying the story of Troy in an interesting enough manner as to hold the audience's attention and incorporating strong female protagonists the audience can not only relate to, but identify with. To do this, the original epic, the Iliad, wholly from the perspective of battle hardened men and a complex, tedious read must be transformed to simple language that resonates with young, female readers of a contemporary society, while still imparting the significant insights of the original text. McLaren’s retelling of the Iliad comprises of many events and character traits that allow the audience to engage with and appreciate the story of Troy in a way that the original version does not allow for, such as: Cassandra’s attribute as a prophetess and narrator, Helen’s childhood narrative, Polyxena’s retrieval of Hector’s body, and lastly, Helenus’s character as a male character who recognizes women to be the equals of men. Cassandra narrates the second half of McLaren’s novel, but more importantly, is given the attribute of a prophetess. This is a stark contrast to her character in the Iliad who is mentioned only twice, once as a commodity, a wife to be won, and the other as an entity not belonging to herself, but as the sister of Hector who wails and laments upon the death of her dear brother. Firstly, by making her a prophetess, McLaren not only makes Cassandra a complex character, but gives her agency, as she is able to use her prophetic abilities for good by warning those who would listen of the destruction Helen’s arrival to

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