The Trojan War retold: Our top 5 picks
Discover our top five books and films to explore the epic myth of the Trojan War, before you see Shakespeare’s version in the Globe this autumn.
Countless artists across centuries have retold the myth of the Trojan War, proving it as an epic story worth repeating. Shakespeare wrote his own version in Troilus and Cressida, a biting satire of the story that brings up all the characters you know and love, only to bring them down.
Why is Helen always blamed? Are Achilles and Patroclus just friends? Who actually are Troilus and Cressida? Here are our top five picks to explore the epic myth, before you see Shakespeare’s version in the Globe this autumn.
1. The Song of Achilles
Madeline Miller’s 2011 novel, The Song of Achilles, is a retelling of the Trojan War through the eyes of Patroclus. Miller carefully plots out the unfolding war, but at the heart of the story is Patroclus’s burgeoning love for Achilles. Miller dives into their relationship, revealing a young and hopeful romance amidst the horrors of war. Featuring gods, tears, and battles – in no particular order – this book will never let you think about the mythological Achilles and Patroclus in the same way again!
Cover of The Song of Achilles. Credit: Harper Collins, fair use.
2. Kaos
Netflix’s dark-comedy drama Kaos tackles the Greek pantheon, with Jeff Goldblum starring as a tracksuit-wearing Zeus. A colourful, overly saturated Olympus contrasts with the black and white underworld and a large cast of characters fill the scenes. Packed with action and laughs but laced with satire, this show perfectly encapsulates both the fun and the darkness of Greek mythology.
3. The Silence of the Girls
The Silence of the Girls is a 2018 novel that follows Briseis, a woman who was once a queen but forced to become Achilles’ concubine, during the events of the Trojan War. Unlike The Song of Achilles, Pat Barker portrays a different side to Achilles – darker and harsher – but not necessarily inaccurate from his original characterisation in Homer’s The Iliad. Briseis stands for the thousands of women who don’t make it to the forefront of all the epic mythological tales, and instead Barker shines a light on the ugliness of war and the supposed heroes that they claim to produce.
Cover of The Silence of the Girls. Credit: Penguin UK, fair use.
Poster for The Trojan Women. Credit: Wikimedia Commons, fair use.
4. The Trojan Women
The Trojan Women is a 1971 film, directed by Michael Cacoyannis, closely based on Edith Hamilton’s translation of the Greek tragedy by Euripides. It stars some of the Old Hollywood Greats: Katherine Hepburn plays Hecuba, Vanessa Redgrave as Andromache, Geneviève Bujold as Cassandra, and Irene Papas as Helen of Troy.
The film is set in the aftermath of the Trojan War and follows four women dealing with the sudden reality of dead sons and husbands. With mystical touches and tinged with melodrama, this film is a must-see for legendary performances by leading ladies.
5. The Odyssey
Chrisopher Nolan’s next film to be released in 2026, The Odyssey, is set to be a historical fantasy epic for the ages. Featuring an instantly recognisable cast with Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron to name a few, this film will be the first to be entirely shot in IMAX cameras. Keep an eye out for trailers as the next blockbuster epic lands in cinemas in soon!
Poster for The Odyssey. Credit: Universal Pictures, fair use.
Troilus and Cressida plays in the Globe Theatre from 26 September until 26 October.
.jpg){kind=link}
_poster.jpg){kind=link}