We all know that Paris kidnapped Helen (who actually voluntarily went with Paris) because he fell in love with her. He talks about how beautiful she is, how he’s head over heels for her, etc. Even Pandarus comments about her marvelous white skin. Thus, the Trojan War began for Helen’s return.
But is Helen really that beautiful? In all Greek mythology, Helen is stated to be the most beautiful woman in the world yet it is only Paris who approaches her. Of course she is the wife to King Menelaus but it seems that there are only these two men who are in love with her. If you are the most beautiful woman in the world, wouldn’t you have countless suitors after your love? Wouldn’t you have every man as your slave kissing your feet and tending to your every need?
Indeed she is flattered by others such as Pandarus: “What says my sweet queen, my very, very sweet queen?” (3.1.81-2). She receives many other compliments but you would think they would also be after this very beautiful, sweet lady’s companionship.
I guess proclaiming a war over her is enough to state her utmost beauty. But if she had a magic mirror on the wall, would it be able to reply that she is the fairest of them all?
I guess everybody figures she’s beyond their reach, out of bounds, etc. She’s already caused so much trouble that no one wants to get involved with her. And as both Homer and Shakespeare show, she’s still very much involved with Paris and not open for new advances. And thanks for categorizing and tagging your post so well.
Whether Helen was the most beautiful woman in the world is arguable because taste is a subjective matter. I will back up your suspicion though and suggest that maybe Paris did what others did not conceive as possible: courting Menelaus’ wife. It’s also possible that when she was brought to Troy, the other Trojan men having heard the trouble Paris got himself into for having ‘kidnapped’ Menelaus’ wife would not dare top that. Plus after what we discussed in class, it did not seem that Paris and Helen were apart for too long to allow the opportunity for other suitors to court her. Would you blame Paris? He probably knows what it takes to easily divert Helen’s love interest. We can certainly agree that going to war and putting thousands of lives in peril for the love of a woman is ridiculous. This makes me wonder if the statement that Helen was the most beautiful was in actuality a made up valid excuse to go to war at the time. Who knows?