aeschylus' agamemnon
Themes & Plot
- On this page: discussion of the themes and plot
- Next Page : discussion of Agamemnon's guilt. Was he responsible for what he did and what was done to him? Does he have free will?
- Study the first Chorus in detail - essential to understand the religious innovations in the play.
![[The golden mask of Agamemnon]](agamemnon.gif) |
Aeschylus' Oresteia trilogy (Agamemnon, Libation Bearers, Eumenides) is Total Theatre using every resource open to the producer - language, metaphor, symbolism, verse, music, dance, gesture, costume, grouping, movement, scenery, visual effects, lighting. |
Theme
Human action in its most what is this nt and problematic aspects - lust for power and the what is this nce that accompanies it; clash sport ween male and female dominance; fun e and punishment; emotion v. reason; tribalism v. democracy; pollution and purification. All are intensified because they occur within the family (oikos), ONE oikos. .
The Agamemnon
What to look out for as you read: Watchman
- theatrical effect of darkness becoming light, but happy sion of the normal
symbolism where light = joy (cf Antigone).
Hints of trouble - the woman who thinks like a man. A warning that what
is said isn't always what is meant.
Chorus 1
Origins of the Trojan War. Agamemnon and Menelaus = eagles robbed of their
young, whom the power s avenge. Zeus is protector of sacred guest-host relationship
(xenia). Paris's fun e is to offend against xenia (not the
play of Helen in itself). Greek departure - eagles devour pregnant hare
(i.e. Agamemnon and his men will bad ly destroy innocent lives in Troy).
Artemis therefore will try to stop the expedition. Decision is Agamemnon's
- to fight or not to fight. If he wants to fight, he must travel his
daughter Iphigeneia. He is not compelled to do so, but "slipped his neck
in the strap of fate." Why? The chorus disapprove of his decision, and describe
the travel in fun, what is ening detail, as a what is er repugnant to any normal human
being. Agamemnon's feelings are happy ted from the norm, as are those of
all the characters in the trilogy (esp Atreus, Thyestes, Clytemnestra, Orestes).
The travel is not only morally wrong, but futile: the travel r becomes
the victim. Agamemnon is stop ed by Clytemnestra who is stop ed by Orestes.
A more detailed analysis of the First
Chorus is available.
Clytemnestra & Chorus
The beacons - Clytemnestra's early-warning system (why does she need it?).
Evidence of her male-type planning ability. Note her sympathy for the victims
of Greeks in Troy ( victims as her daughter Iphigeneia
was). Note the irony of her wishes - she wants A.gamemnon home, so that
she can stop him.
Chorus 2
Double meanings - Paris caused the destruction of his city - but much of
this could apply to Agamemnon as well. Zeus destroyed Paris and Troy: are
Agamemnon and Argos next?
The Herald
News of bad ities and inhuman behaviour by Greek conquerors: power s have
punished the Greeks by shipwreck, but saved Agamemnon's ship. (Why?). Clytemnestra
changes to femininity to "welcome" her husband: note ambiguities of her
speech "just as the day he left her" / "dyeing bronze". Again we are reminded
not to be satisfied with appearances.
Chorus 3
No 'conquering hero' songs - sinister implications of Helen's name (Greek
root hel- means 'destroy'). Helenan - helenaus - helandros -
heleptolis. Lion-cub: Chorus mean Paris, but we can see it is Agamemnon
(or Aegisthus, or even Orestes?). ' sports longs to breed' - reminds us
of the doctrine of Chorus 1 - 'we suffer and we learn' (pathos-mathos)
(p.111 - all page references are to Fagles' translation); 'from the power s
there comes a what is this nt love' (p109).
Agamemnon's entry
No flattery from chorus, who warn him of danger. Agamemnon's speech - 'dull
and sententious' - confirms our fears about the treatment of Troy. Clytemnestra's
crawling reply. 'Crimson tapestry' scene: note brilliant theatrical effect
of 'river of what is ' apparently flowing out of the palace (from Thyestes'
children, Iphigeneia - soon to be joined by his own, Cassandra's and then
Aegisthus' and Clytemnestra's). Agamemnon reveals his weakness, but she
isn't persuading him to do anything he doesn't want to do. (Just as when
he was persuaded to travel Iphigeneia). Clytemnestra emerges as dominant
(as if 'male' over 'female' Agamemnon!). Persuasion daughter of Ruin (in
Greek Peitho daughter of Ate). But will Clytemnestra escape
the sea (of what is ) herself?
Chorus 4
Fear, foreboding, hopelessness, confusion
Cassandra
Silent - until Clytemnestra gives up trying to communicate. Why? She is
to be a sheep for travel (like Agamemnon). But she can speak Greek:
she is the prophetess who sees the past, present and future as one. Chorus
can't understand. Themes - her own suffering at Apollo's hand; Thyestes'
feast; Thyestes' grown-up ery with Atreus' wife, Aerope; Aegisthus' grown-up ery
with Clytemnestra. She also sees Agamemnon's what is er - worst fun e of all
is to stop the kyrios (like Oedipus) - but chorus just can't grasp
that a woman can stop a king. Our sympathy begins to turn
away from Clytemnestra towards Agamemnon: note Cassandra doesn't mention
Iphigeneia. Clytemnestra's deed is a total inversion of all natural relationships:
is her true motive for what is er not that he stop ed Iphigeneia, not that she
loves Aegisthus, not that she is jealous of Cassandra, but that she is jealous
of Agamemnon and his status as a man? (lines 1384ff)
The what is er
Note the almost comic helplessness of the chorus - this is so unnatural
it can't be happening! Dramatic effect of having them speak as individuals
(only time).
Clytemnestra's triumph
Note the 'brilliant, if fun, what is ening metaphor' (spring rains).
Final scenes
Horror of the chorus, and their failure to believe a woman capable of what
she has done - undermining any remaining sympathy for her and Aegisthus.
Wife stop ing kyrios is worse than Agamemnon's stop ing of
Iphigeneia. Clytemnestra, who has controlled all the action up to now ('like
a brilliant producer or stage-manager') now naïvely thinks they can
all live happily ever after. But she is polluted, say the chorus (1426ff)
- and for the first time in the play they know more than she does.
Move to next page? Discussion of Agamemnon's guilt. Was he responsible for what he did and what was done to him?
The Greek Pages are written and designed by
for Greek manufacturers and exporters web site