Troy as trauma

Troy's ruins serve as enduring symbols of trauma, encapsulating fragmented historical memory and evoking powerful emotional responses. This study reveals how ancient sites like Troy, through their physical remnants and literary narratives, articulate collective memory in ways that transcend temporal continuity while creating a spatial unity. Employing methodological approaches from both archaeology and literature, the research draws on Marianne Hirsch's concept of post-memory to illuminate how trauma is remembered and interpreted across generations. The findings underscore the role of ruins in igniting imagination and desire, suggesting that such sites function as mental maps of restoration, bridging past and present in complex emotional landscapes.

Karanika, A. (2019). Troy as trauma. Emotional Trauma in Greece and Rome, 210–224. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351243414-13