Ancient Greek myths are an inexhaustible source of meanings. Mythical persons were
consolidated as archetypal figures and took on a dramatic character in the context of
ancient Greek tragedy. These persons, as familiar beings, are the trigger for later creators
to express their own concerns and thoughts. Thus, a coupling of archetypes and influences
of the era of each creator emerges. The theory of intertextuality is the expression of this
coupling. Through intertextuality, the ancient myth and the new text meet at specific
points – intertexts – without the ancient text losing its importance and value. Thus begins
a conversation between the two texts. This conversation as a hybrid framework – as
Baktin will call it – is the field for the expression of new intertextual conversations and
quests.
The new text resulting from this coupling is autonomous and functions as a
response to the different social and historical stimuli, as well as the perceptions of the
creators. In other words, alongside intertextuality goes the concept of reception, i.e. the
way the creator perceives the myth, transforms it according to its values and perceptions.
Within this context, the archetypal figure of the Beautiful Helen will travel from
the ancient myth and the Euripidean Helen, at the end of the 19th century to confront the
second Faust of the German philosopher and writer Goethe, while much later the
important Greek poet Yannis Ritsos will place her in the context of the Fourth Dimension
to express his own issues and concerns.
