Character Study

Character Study
Character: Slave
Character Name: Rozyuka
Character Age at time of play: 21
Played by: Charlie-Rose Lane

Picture represents slavery in Ancient Greece.


Character Name: In the play she is just known as the slave, this is because her importance to the Greek community isn't enough to call her by her real name. I decided I wanted my characters name to be called Rozyuka. The name 'Rozyuka' is polish, and I have found a couple of quotes from the internet that suggests it's meaning.

 'People with this name have a deep inner desire to use their abilities in leadership, and to have personal independence. They would rather focus on large, important issues, and delegate the details.' 


I quite like this one because when I read it, it really made me relate back to my characters 'inner animal' as all of the animals I chose could be seen to show independence, for example the dove; a bird and so from the very first moments it hatched it was already needed to be quite independent, though the independence of a bird comes quickly as soon as they spread there wings and leave the nest.

'People with this name tend to be passionate, compassionate, intuitive, romantic, and to have magnetic personalities. They are usually humanitarian, broadminded and generous, and tend to follow professions where they can serve humanity. Because they are so affectionate and giving, they may be imposed on. They are romantic and easily fall in love, but may be easily hurt and are sometimes quick-tempered.'

I love the fact that in this quote the name suggests passion and generosity, two traits I tried to deliver my character across with, however I didn't just decided on the name through her traits, because there is many more aspects to Rozyuka than there is in the quotes.

Family Life: Rozyuka has 2 children of her own, and raised 4 younger siblings due to her mothers poor health. Each child she adores lovingly. When a child got to 9 they were sent out to find work, as they struggled to find the money for food, and for rent. Rozyuka married on her 16th birthday after her father passed away, as her mother hoped this would bring wealth into the family. Rozyuka's husband was killed and Rozyuka went back to aid her mother and her younger siblings. After a war started between Poland and The Greeks Rozyuka was separated from her family and was brought over to Ancient Greece, were she was made a slave to Helen of Troy and Menelaos. She is now 21 years old, and therefore 5 years have passed, and she has been assigned to look after Hermione, a child that has brought light back into her heart since being separated from her own children.

Personality Description:

Rozyuka is strong, Perhaps not so much physically, but she is strong to her beliefs and to who she is. Rozyuka is generous and loving, she wants nothing more than to serve her gods to the best of her ability. She is devoted to her children and to God, though she hasn't seen her children since she was forced into slavery, she free's her soul with a gentle lullaby 'Hushabye Mountain'. We can see that she is warming to others who are warm to her throughout the beginning of the scene with her and Electra. Electra show's a side that maybe the audience nor the slave has seen before and Rozyuka being the kind woman she is starts to advise Electra. 'They make you serve and yet you do it gently, graciously- how do you do that?' When Electra says that line Rozyuka is a little hesitant on how to reply, as she is a slave she does not know the boundaries and rules when it comes to talking to a mistress except to be polite. However Rozyuka just says it how it is 'All of us are humble servants. Nothing more.' Rozyuka is humble, not only to herself but to her own country. Then Electra mentions her singing and Rozyuka replies of how 'I was taught to take my pain and make it a thing of beauty my song frees my soul. It takes me back to my country, to my family, to each child they made me leave behind.' A mothers separation from a child is something no mother or child should go through and yet this did happen. The slave is passionate and as said before devoted to God. 'Your Gods and my Gods, they are the same'. She knows who she worships, and that line also shows how she longs for equality.

Research into the character: I looked into quite a few aspects during research, some of which I embedded into my blogs. I looked at a number of songs/ lullaby, one of which I did sing 'Hushabye Mountain' This song was from 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' the musical and is quite well known, though I thought it was gentle and very sweet and helped modernize the piece. I found another song called 'All the pretty horses' I liked this because it was known to be a song sung by African american slaves during the time where equality didn't include the colour of our skin. I looked at how the characters hair might look, and I looked at a number of Grecian styles and some polish styles too. Some were modern and some were more old fashioned. I had the idea of having a combined hairstyle to look more contemporary. I liked the idea of having a plait of some sort somewhere.

What happened to the character:
She was sent from Poland to Troy, during a war and was separated from her family, and each child that depended on her. Rozyuka had been sent on a ship to Troy, to work as a slave. Her only way out was through money, and so her plans are to stay humble and to earn enough money for her freedom. Rozyuka carries hope with her as she is unaware of the situation back in her country and if her family are still alive. She devotes herself to God, and to her work as those are the only aspects in her life she has left, yet she is thankful to God for her life. She was sent to Troy during the time of the Trojan war, and was founded by Menelaos and his army and brought back with him and Helen of Troy to serve them. She served the couple with grace and worked for  Rozyuka was their throughout the birth of the new baby and earned trust through Helen. Helen became to trust Rozyuka and warmed to her. Though she was not an easy woman to please, as long as you did what you were told you stayed alive. She was instantly assigned to look after the baby,  She was made to feed her and to bathe her and to do all the things she felt Helen was missing out on. Hermione was betrothed by her grandfather Tyndareus to Orestes her cousin. Rozyuka went everywhere with Helen, and nursed the baby everywhere they went. When Rozyuka stayed in the same palace as Orestes and Electra, she heard things that lead her to ask 'Is this a good country they have brought me to?'. Rozyuka hears things that she does not wish to hear but keeps herself to herself in order to keep her life.

Rozyuka sings a lot, and when Electra confronts her after serving her food and water, Rozyuka enters a conversation with Electra. Rozyuka is wary of Electra and does not trust her, though does show sympathy during some of the scene. Rozyuka is trusted by Electra as she is asked to go and find where her brother is, returning with the news, that he is coming and holds two knives in his hands. Rozyuka knows this must mean something suspicious and is urging to leave until confronted by Orestes. Orestes questions her which makes her feel uncomfortable and anxious but she stays calm and answers him politely and graciously. Rozyuka was threatened by knives whilst baby Hermione was taken from hr hands. She instantly went looking for help but was numb at the fact that the baby had been taken from her. The baby was taken by Orestes, and killed, as Rozyuka witnessed it, she fell to her knee's sobbing. Rozyuka, carried on being a slave for 17 years where she later died from disease.