Euripides shocked his audiences by portraying their great heroes as cruel and cowardly. His drama The Trojan Women is one of the most powerful indictments of war ever written. In this new version Kennelly gives the play a twentieth century edge. Usually the Trojan women have been seen as passive victims at the whimsical mercy of their male conquerors, but Kennelly draws from them a strong, resolute, and shrewd note. Despite total humiliation, they keep their dignity, knowing they will be the moral and emotional victors in the continuing war with men. Kennelly turns this classic drama into an active, modern drama exploring the complexities of women and defining the nature of their courage.