Christa Wolf's Cassandra: A Literary and Political Lens

Christa Wolf's engagement with the myth of Cassandra is explored as a literary and political catalyst. Wolf, a writer from the former German Democratic Republic, used Cassandra—Trojan princess, daughter of Hecuba and Priam, priestess and seer—to address war, environmental crisis, matriarchy, patriarchy, ritual, and myth. The phrase "Between killing and dying there is a third way: living" became a slogan in protests, theaters, and debates on European politics. Wolf's identification with Cassandra turned the figure into a real woman, a dialogue partner. The article discusses Wolf's lectures "Premesse a Cassandra. Quattro lezioni su come nasce un racconto" and "Cassandra," recently published. The piece is authored by Nicole Janigro and Anna Stefi, dated July 22, 2026.