The last scene relentlessly pursues the same theme. Pyrrhus' ultimatum, however, has given it a new, equally painful form. It is now the enemy within that Andromache must fight, her love for her husband coupled with her aversion for Pyrrhus. Lest this struggle seem anticlimactic, Racine has recreated the horror of Pyrrhus' conquest of Troy. To yield to her suitor is not merely to forget her husband, it is to betray him, to surrender to his assassin and the enemy of her whole family.
Here poetry and drama are successfully wedded. The scenes of carnage that Racine evokes have an independent validity and could be anthologized without any introduction. At the same time they remain completely pertinent. They serve to emphasize Andromache's agony of indecision.
An observation must be made about the role of the confidant. While it is essentially the same as in Phaedra, it does present an interesting nuance. In both plays, the role is strictly subservient to the main characters. In Phaedra, however, Racine allows Oenone a certain amount of individuality. This individuality is absent in Andromache. The confidants are practically abstractions--arguments, objections, instigators--in other words, mere plot devices.
