In modern times, when we hear the name Hermione, we likely think of Hermione Granger, the witch from J.K. Rowling’s popular book series Harry Potter, or perhaps the character in Shakespeare’s play The Winter’s Tale. Few people realize that Hermione also appears in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, as well as some of Euripides‘ works, and carries some significance in ancient Greek mythology.
However, first, let’s start by looking at the name Hermione from an etymological perspective. The name originates from ancient Greece as the feminine form of Hermes, the messenger of the gods and guide of souls. In Greek, it is pronounced Ermióni.
Hermione’s appearance in The Odyssey
The name Hermione first appears in Greek mythology in Homer’s epic The Odyssey. Homer identifies Hermione as the only daughter of Menelaus, the king of Sparta, and Helen of Troy. Helen, known as the most beautiful woman in the world, is often considered the reason for the Trojan War, as the Trojan prince Paris seduced her and persuaded her to leave her husband and daughter to sail away with him to Troy.
Nevertheless, in The Odyssey, Hermione is in fact mentioned only briefly, though her character gains greater significance in later works. Homer writes:
“…for the gods had never after granted Helen
a child to bring into the sunlit world
after the first, rose-lipped Hermione,
a girl like the pale-gold goddess Aphrodite.”
(translated by Robert Fitzgerald)
And so, after Helen departs with Paris, stealing some of the Spartan treasure as well, Menelaus is enraged. He soon follows, joining the war in his resolve to reclaim Helen. Nine-year-old Hermione is left in Sparta, where she spends the next ten years—until the Trojan War’s end—being raised by her aunt Clytemnestra.
Although, in The Odyssey, Hermione appears to be a minor character in the grand scheme of things, later works, such as Euripides’ Andromache and Orestes, reveal her mythological significance more clearly.
Hermione’s significance in ancient Greek works by Euripides
In Euripides’ Andromache, set in the aftermath of the Trojan War, Hermione’s thrilling story is finally told. It is said that her father, Menelaus, who fought for the Greeks under his brother Agamemnon’s command, promised her in marriage to Achilles’ son, Neoptolemus, following their victory.
However, the matter of Hermione’s marriage was more “entangled.” According to the ancient Greek tragedian, her hand had been promised to her cousin Orestes, son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, prior to the war. This affair was arranged by Hermione’s grandfather, Tyndareus.
The fall of Troy, however, found Orestes in a fragile mental state—he was believed to be mad and pursued by the Erinyes, goddesses of vengeance, for having murdered his mother and her lover, Aegisthus. Therefore, he was unable to challenge Menelaus’ decision to give Hermione to Neoptolemus, who then swept Hermione off with him to his kingdom in Epirus.
The significance of Hermione’s character as queen of Epirus and later on
As queen of Epirus, Hermione became known for what would most define her character: her fierce jealousy. She saw a rival in Andromache, Neoptolemus’ captive and former Trojan princess, who had given him sons while Hermione remained childless.
Consumed by jealousy, Hermione believed that Andromache had cursed her to be barren, and eventually plotted to kill both Andromache and her son Molossus. However, her plan ultimately failed due to Peleus’ intervention.
As time went on, Hermione’s fear of her husband grew steadily after her failed plot. Fortunately for her, some time after, Orestes arrived in Epirus like a Deus ex machina to take her away while Neoptolemus was absent. He claimed that, under her grandfather Tyndareus’ oath, Hermione was rightfully his from the beginning – and she agreed to flee Epirus with him.
Later, under Orestes’ direction, Neoptolemus was killed in a battle outside the Temple of Delphi, which allowed Orestes to finally take Hermione as his wife. She later had a son, Tisamenus, with him. At last, Hermione was able to achieve the happy ending that had escaped her as queen of Epirus.
As a mythological figure, Hermione’s significance lies in how she represents the lasting impact of the Trojan War on the next generation. Her life, marked by her mother’s choice to flee with Paris, led to an unwanted marriage and the burden of sharing her husband with another woman.
Ultimately, her actions stemmed from jealousy as much as fear and reflect the deep struggles women faced in a patriarchal society. Yet, through it all, Hermione emerges as an unyielding figure who shaped her own destiny.
