Gabriel's English Journal

Historical Background of the play: The play is in two time zones, the Trojan War (a Greek myth) and the current Israeli war between Israel and Palestine over Gaza. The Trojans lived in the city of Troy, which is modern day Turkey. The Trojan War began when Paris, Prince of Troy, ran away with Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. The Greeks sent a fleet of ships, with an army, to get her back. The war lasted for 10 years. In single combat, the greatest Greek warrior, Achilles, killed the Trojan leader Hector. In the end the Greeks won, by a clever trick using a wooden horse.

The current Israeli is a conflict between Israel and Palestine as after World War II Israelis were given the land (Gaza) but the Palestinians wanted the land as well. It’s part of the wider Arab Israeli conflict. After World II, Isreal were given a large part of Palestine, but the neighbouring contries who were already living there felt unhappy and didn’t accept the Israeli’s. Then in 1948, Israel and the neighbouring countries went to war. In 2005 the Israeli’s finally decided to leave Gaza, but thanks to a organisation called Hamas came into power and disrespected the views of the Israeli’s in Gaza and wanted the Palestinians to return to their old home, using violence to get their way.