Sisters of Sparta: An Intersectional Approach to Depictions of Helen and Clytemnestra in Fifth-Century BCE Athens.

This thesis uses an intersectional approach to understand Helen’s and Clytemnestra’s depictions in fifth-century BCE Athenian artforms. It investigates specifically the role that these women’s identities play in their depictions in vases and tragedy. By examining both vases and tragedy we can see whether the Athenians’ use of Helen’s and Clytemnestra’s identities varied depending on a form’s purpose.

The application of feminist theory in general to Classical Studies has only seen a rise in the last few decades. The use of intersectionality theory specifically has only become popular in the last decade. By using an intersectional approach, this thesis will shed more light on why the ancient Athenians chose to depict female mythological figures in their varying artforms as well as the significance of women’s different identities to this choice. In doing so, it will contribute to scholarship looking at intersectionality theory’s usefulness as an analytical tool to understand the ancient world and further illuminate our understanding of the use of ancient stereotypes surrounding gender. Moreover, given the cultural and historical construction of gender and its surrounding stereotypes, as well as the differing purposes of vase painters and playwrights, this thesis also contributes to the idea that retellings of myth reflect both their creators and their intended audiences.

This thesis is divided into two main parts; the first looks at Helen’s depictions on vases and then her depictions in tragedy, while the second looks at Clytemnestra’s depictions on vases and then her depictions in tragedy.