Jan 09, 2007 for 3,000 years, the woman known as helen of troy has been both the ideal symbol of beauty and a reminder of the terrible power beauty can wield. As is demonstrated by the history of scandal from helen of troy to monica of beverly hills, sex has a way of befogging the higher intellectual faculties. Womans hour tries to uncover the real helen with bettany hughes and edith hall. Kate mosse, author of labyrinth evoking in sensuous and gorgeous prose the citadels, the palaces and the luxuries of that longvanished world, history and mythography have been dazzlingly elided. With bettany hughes, romany wagenaar, kostas dervenis, mike loades. This book tries to show the different sides of the infamous greek beauty helen of troy the figure of worship for many greeks, the possible historical person, and the bad role model for women in the eyes of so many. Bettany hughes is an awardwinning historian, author and broadcaster who has devoted much of the last twenty years to the vibrant communication of the past. She was awarded an entrance scholarship to st hildas college, oxford, where she earned a degree with secondclass honours in ancient and modern history she is currently a research fellow at kings college london, a tutor for cambridge universitys institute of continuing education, an honorary fellow at cardiff.
Before the opening of hostilities, the greeks dispatched a. The story behind the most beautiful woman in the world ebook written by bettany hughes. This book puts helen of troy at the centre of a world in which, as bettany hughes convincingly explains, the primordial power was female. Bettany hughes embarks on a journey across the eastern mediterranean to discover the truth about helen of troy, the woman blamed for causing the trojan war, a conflict that resulted in countless deaths. Helen the whore and the curse of beauty history today. The bigger problem it identifies is hughess central assertion that helen, whose magical birth from an egg is central to her myth. From birth to death, helen has been portrayed in many ways. May 29, 2018 recorded at this weeks hay festival 2018, bettany hughes introduces us to her favourite female character in literature helen of troy. Hughes has not only written a thoroughly detailed examination of the evidence for a real bronze age helen, and produced an in depth portrait of the woman if she indeed existed, but she has delved even further, studying perceptions of helen throughout history and exploring the big question of just why helen of troy has. The story behind the most beautiful woman in the world bettany hughes.
Through the eyes of a young mycenaean woman, hughes examines the physical, historical and cultural traces that helen has left on locations in greece. Goddess,princess, whore, was published to great critical acclaim and has now been translated into ten languages. Bettany hughes is a historian, broadcaster and author of helen of troy. Bettany hughes obe born 14 may 1967 is an english historian, author and broadcaster, specialising in classical history.
Jan 25, 2011 bettany hughes is an awardwinning historian, author and broadcaster who has devoted much of the last twenty years to the vibrant communication of the past. In her search for the identity behind this mythic figure, acclaimed historian bettany hughes uses homers account of helen s life to frame her own investigation. Acclaimed presenter of historic documentaries, bettany hughes, embarks on a journey across the eastern mediterranean to discover the truth about helen of troy, the woman blamed for causing the trojan war. Following weapons experts, the twohour film shows how the conflict in.
Helen of troy the woman blamed for causing the trojan war. Bettany hughes travels across the eastern mediterranean to disentangle myth from reality and find the truth about the most beautiful woman on earth. Recorded at this weeks hay festival 2018, bettany hughes introduces us to her favourite female character in literature helen of troy. Helen of troy by bettany hughes penguin books australia. Hughes furthermore sets out not only to try to discover the historical reality behind the story of helen of troy, but to describe the bronze age in which she allegedly lived, and then to describe how the story of helen of troy was handled in literature and art down the ages from homer. Helen on the ramparts of troy was a popular theme in the late 19thcentury art seen here a depiction by frederick leighton. In her search for the identity behind this mythic figure, acclaimed historian bettany hughes uses homers account of helens life to frame her own investigation. Following weapons experts, the twohour film shows how the conflict in helens name would have been fought, unraveling the. In a similar fashion to leighton, gustave moreau depicts an expressionless helen. For 3,000 years, the woman known as helen of troy has been both the ideal symbol of beauty and a reminder of the terrible power beauty can wield. Bettany hughes debut work is a magnum opus of truly astonishing proportions. During her own voyage in helens wake, bettany hughes sorts the reality from the myths told about helen. Acclaimed presenter of historic documentaries, bettany hughes, embarks on a journey across the eastern mediterranean to discover the truth about helen of troy, the.
Bettany hughes was born in 1968 in oxford, england. Immortalised on vases and in plays and poems, helen of troy has excited mans imagination for thousands of years. Watch bettany hughes the ancient worlds 2of2 helen of troy educational documentaries on dailymotion. A major new book about the life and legend of the worlds most beautiful woman by the new star of tv history. Helen of troy is a great book, not just telling the story of helen but also the lives of the people living at the time when helen et al were set. Oct 18, 2005 immortalised on vases and in plays and poems, helen of troy has excited mans imagination for thousands of years. As soon as men began to write, they made helen of troy their subject.
Helen of troy has been a part of the western cultural consciousness for thousands of years, an often troubling figure of female sexual power. Goddess,princess, whore, was published to great critical acclaim and has now been translated into ten. Jun 01, 2011 focusing on the real helen a fleshandblood aristocrat from the greek bronze age acclaimed historian bettany hughes reconstructs the context of life for this elusive prehistoric princess. The story behind the most beautiful woman in the world hughes bettany. Begin at the beginning, and go on till you come to the end. British historian bettany hughes tours the eastern mediterranean in search of facts behind the legends of the face that launched a thousand ships, exploring the ways greeks made love and war circa 0 b. An illuminating, erudite, lively search for the real helen of troya chronicle that combines historical inquiry and storytelling elanfrom one of britains most.
Helen of troy by bettany hughes patricias friendly blog. Now british historian hughes investigates the history and myth of helen, using a mix of archeological evidence, literary sources and personal observation to flesh out this archetypal creature. This book tries to show the different sides of the infamous greek beauty helen of troy the figure of worship for many greeks, the possible historical person, and the bad role model for women in the eyes of so many writers over the years. Bettany hughes biography helen of troy is a sensuous treat you will taste the past. British historian bettany hughes tours the eastern mediterranean in search of facts behind the legends of the face that launched a thousand ships, exploring. Bettany hughes the ancient worlds 2of2 helen of troy. Hughes has not only written a thoroughly detailed examination of the evidence for a real bronze age helen, and produced an in depth portrait of the woman if she indeed existed, but she has delved even further, studying perceptions of helen throughout history and exploring the big question of just why helen of. In this passionate book, hughes adds to helens mystery. Bettany hughes puts women slapbang right back at the heart of things. The story behind the most beautiful woman in the world. Jun 03, 2009 for 3,000 years, the woman known as helen of troy has been both the ideal symbol of beauty and a reminder of the terrible power beauty can wield. Pdf helen the whore and the curse of beauty bettany. Bettany hughes the ancient worlds 1of2 helen of troy.
When bettany hughes published her study of helen of troy in 2005, skeptics had good cause for doubt that anything worthwhile could be made out of such a hackneyed and intangible subject. Oct 15, 2005 helen of troy by bettany hughes jonathan cape. Hughes won a bursary to attend notting hill and ealing high school in ealing. Helens story is a dark and very human drama, interweaving pleasure and pain, sex and violence, love and hate. Jun 02, 2005 bettany hughes debut work is a magnum opus of truly astonishing proportions. The result was searchingly intelligent and quite beautifully written. Following weapons experts, the twohour film shows how the conflict in helens name would have been fought, unraveling the reality from the myths and putting flesh on the face. Goddess,princess, whore, was published to great critical ac. She is known for her work on warrior women with lupita nyongo 2019, the spartans 2004 and the bible. Bettany hughes explores theses questions and more in her book. This article originally appeared in the november 2005 issue of history today.
She establishes that anatolian port, in an ancient near eastern context, as the farthest north and west of the. The ancient world 4of7 helen of troy with bettany hughes part 12. She travels from the city where it is said helen was born sparta in the mountains of greece to the archaeological site in modern turkey that will be forever linked with the war fought in helens name. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read helen of troy. The story behind the most beautiful woman in the world hughes bettany download bok. Bettany hughes, embarks on a journey across the eastern mediterranean to discover the truth about helen of troy, the woman blamed for causing the trojan war. Jun 02, 2017 bettany hughes explores theses questions and more in her book. Hughes splendidly reclaims helen from centuries of helpless victimhood. The face that launched a thousand ships refers to helen of troy, who stole the heart of greeks, trojans, and christopher marlowes dr. In her search for the identity behind this mythic figure, acclaimed historian bettany hughes uses. Hughes explores all three images through a combination of archaeological evidence, literary writings through the ages, and art. Goddess,princess, whore, was published to great critical acclaim and has now.
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