MENELAUS AND HELEN – RUPERT BROOKE

MENELAUS AND HELEN – RUPERT BROOKE

Rupert Brooke, famous for his selfless patriotism, was born on 3 August 1887. He was educated at the Rugby School, where his father was teacher, and at King’s College Cambridge. At the outbreak of First World War in 1914 he joined the Royal Navy, but was not able to serve long, for he died a premature death in the following year. On 23 April 1915, the day of St. George and Shakespeare’s birthday he died at Scyros and was buried in an olive garden where he had sat with his friend a few days before. Rupert Brooke is best remembered for his war sonnets and the poem ‘Old Vicarage Grantchester’.

Poem:

Hot through Troy’s ruin Menelaus broke

To Priam’s palace, sword in hand, to sate

On that adulterous whore a ten years’ hate

And a King’s honour. Through red death, and smoke,

And cries, and then by quieter ways he strode,

Till the still innermost chamber fronted him.

He swung his sword, and crashed into the dim

Luxurious bower, flaming like a god.

High sat white Helen, lonely and serene.

He had not remembered that she was so fair,

And that her heck curved down in such a way;

And he felt tired. He flung the sword away,

And kissed her feet, and knelt before her there,

The perfect Knight before the perfect Queen.

So far the poet. How should he behold

That journey home, the long connubial years?

He does not tell you how white Helen bears

Child on legitimate child, becomes a scold,

Haggard with virtue. Menelaus bold

Waxed garrulous, and sacked a hundred Troys

’Twixt noon and supper. And her golden voice

Got shrill as he grew deafer. And both were old.

Often he wonders why on earth he went

Troyward, or why poor Paris ever came.

Oft she weeps, gummy-eyed and impotent;

Her dry shanks twitch at Paris’ mumbled name.

So Menelaus nagged; and Helen cried;

And Paris slept on by Scamander side.

The Trojan War was fought between the Greeks and the Trojans to avenge the abduction of Helen, wife of Menelaus, by Paris son of Priam. Menelaus was the king is Sparta and Priam was the king of Troy. The first 14 lines are faithful to Greek mythology. The second part of the poem is wholly Brook’s own version of what might have happened in their old age.

In the poem ‘Menelaus and Helen’ Rupert Brooke has recapitulated the most romantic love episode in classical literature, namely the abduction of Helen by Paris, son of Priam who was the king of Troy. It resulted in what is now known as the Trojan War fought between the Greeks and the Torjans. In the end the Trojans were defeated and Menelaus was able to take his wife back to Sparta.

In the first sonnet the poet describes the meeting between the insulted husband and his unfaithful wife. Burning with anger Menelaus crashes into Helen’s chamber where he finds her sitting majestically. Forgetting all about his intention of taking revenge on his adulterous wife, the king flings the sword away and falls at her feet. He kisses her feet and then kneels before her like a perfect knight before a perfect queen.

In the second sonnet is described the dull and weary life of the couple in their old age. The once voluptuous Helen has now become virtuous; but she has lost all her former charm. Menelaus now is not valorous but garrulous. Unable to fight any more battle he can only was eloquent about has past adventures. Irritated by Helen’s haggard look he often wonders how Paris was so much attracted by her appearance. Menelaus now cannot understand why he decided to fight a war on her account. Very often he nags her and she in turn can only cry helplessly.  Ironically enough when this is happening, Paris the author of all mischief is enjoying has eternal sleep on the bank of Scamander.

The description of Menelaus entering Helen’s chamber is very realistic. The comparison of Menelaus to a perfect knight and Helen to a perfect queen is a good example for the figure of speech called simile. It also helps us to remember that Helen is still young and beautiful. The symptoms of old age mentioned towards the end of the poem are to facts. It is a very evidence of the young poet’s observation of real life.

In conclusion it must be said that the poet’s knowledge of classical literature coupled with his imaginative faculty has enabled him to give a new rendering of an old theme.   

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