Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing

“Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing” is a poem of 83 lines, divided into three stanzas of uneven length. It is written in free verse without end rhymes. Atwood writes the poem as a dramatic monologue from the point of view of a contemporized mythical figure, Helen of Troy, with an indirect address to a single individual at the end. The use of the free verse, rather than any classical form, helps show that this Helen is situated in the here and now, giving the poem a weight for the modern reader. The first stanza explains why Helen has taken her “job” (Line 5) even though others find it demeaning. The second explains what she does for her customers, despite their differing views of her purpose. It also explains how they objectify her in their fantasies. The third, explores how the clientele, even the single individual who seems special, hopes to “reduce” (Line 68) her to an object they can own or destroy. She resists. As Helen says, her speech is a “torch song” about unrequited love, of being misjudged—but it also offers a challenge: “You think I’m not a goddess? / Try me” (Lines 80-81).