The End Crowns All

I leap into Bea Fitzgerald's next retelling of the Greek myths after finishing her telling of Hades and Persephone in GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN. Her craft has developed further in the story of Helen (yes that Helen) and Cassandra during the war for Troy.

The joy I have in Bea Fitzgerald's work is the attention to the mythology which our culture draws on and her refocus on the women in these stories. Most of these myths are focus on the heroics of the males, almost like they are either created from hegemonic masculinity or to reinforce it.

The points of the narrative are those from them myth. Cassandra’s patron god, Apollo, offers to bestow upon her the gift of prophecy, plus all the power that comes with it, she gratefully accepts this wonderful opportunity. However, when she neglects to maintain her side of the agreement, she soon discovers just how far she has to fall! No one believes her visions, which are, strangely, only of a certain girl. An immensely beautiful girl, who is going to start a war!! Helen fled Sparta in the age old pursuit of love, which is proving to be much more – although that’s proving to be more evasive than she’d hoped! Leaving her home and family far behind, Helen now finds herself manoeuvring a rocky road through the politics and backstabbings of the Trojan court.

The return of the lost prince Paris, the golden apple, Aphrodite's gift of Helen, the war on troy, death of Achilles, the prophecies of Cassandra, the wooden horse and the fall of Troy are all there and I the different types of love described in the Greek myths (including the growing love between Cassandra and Helen) it was with a growing sense of dread as I know how this story ends. Fortunately this ending was much more satisfying than the mythology would permit.

Just as GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN served a side discussion about gender roles (Hades as an artist/craftsman) THE END CROWNS ALL provides a welcome discussion about consent.