The woman

de Edward Bond

'The Woman', premiered in 1978 at London's National Theatre, is set at the end of the Trojan War, recasting Hecuba (the wife of King Priam of Troy) as the main character, and reshaping the epic narrative into what Bond calls a 'socialist rhapsody'. Bond's play deviates from the orthodox narrative of the siege, emphasising instead its significance as a dissertation on morality and historical truth, and a celebration of individuals who can change society. It begins with Priam's death, showing the savage struggle over a statue of a goddess, a relic which Troy has stolen from Greece. Later, the half-blind Hecuba and half-mad Ismene are living on a remote island, where they meet an escaped miner searching for sanctuary, and the Greeks arrive still searching for their statue. 'The Woman' refuses resolution, offering instead a complex definition of social conflict.