Hecuba is the former queen of Troy, the widow of King Priam, now reduced to the status of an enslaved person following the Greeks’ conquest of Troy. In the play, she would have been played by the most important actor, known as the Protagonist (from ancient Greek protagonistes); the other roles would have been shared by the other two actors, known as the Deuteragonist and Tritagonist. The misfortunes Hecuba undergoes after the fall of her city are the central focus of the play. Indeed, the theme of Enduring the Vicissitudes of Fortune, explored throughout the play, is illustrated primarily by reference to the misfortunes of Hecuba: Once a happy, powerful, and rich queen, Hecuba is has lost her homeland, freedom, and most of her family. Hecuba, whom the ghost of Polydorus characterizes as being “as wretched now as formerly you were blessed” (56), demonstrates just how sharply one’s fortunes can change.

Over the course of the play, Hecuba’s situation, hardly endurable at the beginning of the play, becomes progressively worse. The more Hecuba suffers, the more she learns to endure. But with endurance, Hecuba changes and hardens, displaying a Degeneration of Character.