Characters Clytemnestra Costanza Casati

Helen: The Tragic Beauty and Catalyst of the Trojan War

Overview

In Costanza Casati’s Clytemnestra, Helen of Sparta is both a luminous figure and a tragic catalyst. As the sister of the protagonist, Helen’s beauty is legendary, but the novel reveals her as a woman struggling with agency, jealousy, and the weight of her own reputation. Unlike the mythic archetype of the passive “face that launched a thousand ships,” Casati’s Helen is shown making deliberate choices—eloping with Paris, defying Menelaus—that set the Trojan War in motion. Her arc intertwines with Clytemnestra’s, exploring themes of sisterhood, loyalty, and the cost of desire. This analysis draws on the novel’s chapters to trace Helen’s motivations, relationships, and the consequences of her actions.

Plot Role and Motivations

Helen serves as the narrative spark for the epic conflict. Her kidnapping by Theseus (described in Chapter 8) and later her elopement with Paris (Chapter 22) are the triggers that assemble the Greek armies. But Casati gives her interiority: Helen craves recognition and love beyond her beauty. In Chapter 8, she confesses to Clytemnestra, “I do not care about looks! … You have always been the center of attention.” Her jealousy of Clytemnestra’s strength and her father’s favor drives her to choose Menelaus—a decision she later regrets. When she confesses her affair with Paris, she says, “He understands me,” revealing a need for emotional connection that Menelaus failed to provide (Chapter 22). Her motivations are not simply vanity but a search for respect and happiness.

Chronological Arc

Helen’s journey in the novel progresses from a competitive sister to a wife trapped in a loveless marriage, then to a woman who seizes her own desire, and finally to a survivor of war.

  • Childhood and youth (Chapters 2–3): Helen races and trains with Clytemnestra, but she is more hesitant and conscious of her appearance. Clytemnestra notes, “Clytemnestra dances for herself; Helen dances for others.” Helen feels unloved by their father Tyndareus and finds solace in her sister.
  • Trauma and rivalry (Chapter 8): Theseus kidnaps and rapes Helen when she is fourteen. The violation leaves lasting psychological scars. She later accuses Clytemnestra of always overshadowing her, and they argue bitterly at the temple.
  • Marriage to Menelaus (Chapter 9): After the suitors swear the oath, Helen chooses Menelaus. Clytemnestra warns her he only finds her “interesting to look at.” The marriage deteriorates quickly; in Chapter 11, Helen shows Clytemnestra a bruise from Menelaus, admitting she married out of jealousy and was manipulated.
  • Affair with Paris (Chapter 22): While Clytemnestra is in Sparta, Helen confesses she slept with the Trojan prince. Clytemnestra advises secrecy but respects her happiness.
  • Elopement and war (Chapter 23): News reaches Mycenae that Helen has fled with Paris to Troy. Agamemnon uses this as the pretext for the war. Helen’s fate is later revealed in Chapter 35: she survives and eventually reconciles with Menelaus.
  • Aftermath (Chapter 35): Clytemnestra learns Helen is alive and reconciled with Menelaus. This bittersweet detail underscores the sisters’ divergent paths: Clytemnestra’s vengeance leads to death, while Helen’s story concludes with a fragile peace.

Relationships

Clytemnestra

The sisterhood is the emotional core. They are inseparable as children, but jealousy and secrets fracture their bond. Helen feels she lives in Clytemnestra’s shadow: “You have always been the center of attention… And there I am, next to you, your beautiful, weak, dull sister” (Chapter 8). Yet they reconnect when Helen confesses her abuse and affair. Clytemnestra protects her, saying, “You didn’t [do wrong]” about Paris (Chapter 22). Their relationship reflects the theme of sisterhood and loyalty even amid tragedy.

Menelaus

Menelaus is possessive and abusive. Helen shows Clytemnestra a bruise from him and reveals he brought other women to their home (Chapter 11). Her choice to leave him for Paris is thus an act of female agency, though it triggers war.

Paris

Paris adores Helen and makes her feel seen. She describes him as “godlike” and says he understands her in a way no one else does (Chapter 22). Their relationship is passionate but ultimately leads to ten years of conflict.

Family

Helen is distant from Tyndareus, who dismisses her trauma from Theseus (“Theseus is a hero, and he does what heroes do,” Chapter 8). Leda is cold, and her brothers Castor and Polydeuces offer protective love. The family’s failures contribute to Helen’s search for affection elsewhere.

Key Decisions and Consequences

  1. Choosing Menelaus over other suitors – This decision, made out of jealousy of Clytemnestra, binds her to an abusive husband and sets the stage for the elopement. The oath of the suitors (Chapter 9) later forces the Greek kings to support Menelaus.
  2. Eloping with Paris – Helen’s most consequential act. It triggers the Trojan War, leads to the sacrifice of Iphigenia (Agamemnon’s daughter and Clytemnestra’s child), and causes immense suffering. The novel does not excuse her, but it contextualizes her unhappiness.
  3. Confiding in Clytemnestra – By sharing her secrets, Helen repairs their bond but also places Clytemnestra in a difficult position, knowing the affair could bring war. Clytemnestra’s loyalty leads her to keep silent, but the war still comes.

Themes and Symbols

  • Beauty as a double-edged sword: Helen’s beauty is both her curse and her power. It makes her a target (Theseus) and a trophy (Menelaus), but it also allows her to attract Paris and escape. The novel questions whether beauty is a blessing or a cage.
  • Sisterhood and loyalty: The bond with Clytemnestra is tested by rivalry and secrets but endures. For more, see the sisterhood and loyalty theme page.
  • Fate versus free will: Helen makes active choices, yet she is bound by prophecies (Leda’s daughters “will marry twice and desert their husbands,” Chapter 20) and the curse of the House of Atreus. She resists being a passive victim, embracing her own desires despite the consequences. Explore the fate versus free will theme.
  • Female agency and power: Helen’s decision to leave Menelaus for Paris is an act of agency, though it leads to war. Casati presents her not as a victim but as a woman who seeks happiness on her own terms, a contrast to Clytemnestra’s violent retaliation. See female agency and power.
  • Grief and trauma: Helen’s rape by Theseus haunts her; she still dreams of him years later (Chapter 8). Her trauma influences her choices and her need for control. The grief and trauma theme pervades the novel.
  • Vengeance and justice: While Helen does not seek vengeance, her actions set Clytemnestra’s vengeance in motion. The war and Iphigenia’s sacrifice are consequences of Helen’s elopement. Learn more on the vengeance and justice page.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Helen love Paris or is she just using him to escape Menelaus?

The novel suggests genuine love. Helen tells Clytemnestra, “He understands me” and that she is happy with Paris (Chapter 22). She risks everything to be with him, indicating more than convenience. However, her unhappiness with Menelaus certainly motivates her.

2. Why does Helen choose Menelaus over Odysseus and other suitors?

Helen admits she was jealous of Clytemnestra and wanted to escape her sister’s shadow. She saw Menelaus as a way to have her own kingdom and validation (Chapter 8). Later she realizes her mistake.

3. How does Helen’s relationship with Clytemnestra change after the elopement?

After Helen leaves for Troy, the sisters are separated for years. Clytemnestra initially defends Helen, but the war and Iphigenia’s death create a rift. In the end, Clytemnestra learns Helen is alive and reconciled with Menelaus, feeling a mix of relief and estrangement (Chapter 35).

4. Is Helen responsible for the Trojan War in the novel?

Casati does not place full blame on Helen. She is a catalyst, but the war also serves Agamemnon’s ambition and the oath forced on the suitors. Helen’s choices are part of a larger chain of events. The novel emphasizes that men wage war for power; Helen is the excuse.

5. How does Helen’s beauty function symbolically?

Her beauty is a symbol of desire, but also of deception and danger. It attracts violence (Theseus, Menelaus’s jealousy) and launches a thousand ships. Casati uses it to explore how society objectifies women: Helen is worshipped yet controlled. It also contrasts with Clytemnestra’s inner strength and intelligence.

For a deeper dive into the novel’s ending and themes, visit the ending explained and questions and answers pages.