Gender Roles In Agamemnon By Aeschylus And Trifles

Gender roles are extremely important in the way people view women in both modern and historical societies. Throughout history women have been characterized as weak and subservient to males and although one might argue gender roles and stereotypes have gotten better as time has passed, it is still apparent in how women are portrayed in theatre. Most, if not all, of the first playwrights, were male and because of this they had very different views of how women were to be seen in their plays. In the play’s Agamemnon by Aeschylus and Trifles by Susan Glaspell, the characters, Clytemnestra and Mrs. Wright defy the normalized gender roles and stereotypes to reinforce the plays vengeful theme.

Trifles is set in the early 1900’s where it was a woman’s

At the beginning of the play, Clytemnestra announces the end of the war and the return of the soldiers to Argos. The chorus responds stating “it is like the mettle of a woman’s spirit to praise the gracious gift before it is certainly there.” This is a direct punch at her authority and it corresponds to the double standard women are put under. The chorus also gives into the stereotypes of women during the time period by saying that it is just like a woman to talk before things are certain. Along with their disrespect for Clytemnestra, they also poke fun at the fact she “talks like a sensible man.” Part of the reason the chorus continuously makes fun of her is because they can’t possibly understand why a woman took the throne in Agamemnon’s absence even though she is the most qualified person to

That is how that is.” Clytemnestra exemplifies a strong woman because she directly acknowledges the chorus’ attempt to make her seem weak and does not let them distract her from her mission of killing Agamemnon. The chorus also compares Clytemnestra to a spider web because of the thought and planning she puts into the murder of Agamemnon and his mistress. She does not deny her actions or motive for killing Agamemnon, “I cut this man’s throat, in my hope treads not within the hall of Fear” and because of this Clytemnestra is viewed as woman who went against the traditional gender roles and stereotypes of her time period to make her point. Most modern readers think of Clytemnestra as a strong character; however, the fact that she “had sent her son Orestes away and taken Aegisthus as a lover” makes her weak in the eyes of ancient Greek audiences. When Agamemnon sacrifices his daughter, he not only kills the daughter but also a piece of Clytemnestra. This triggers something in Clytemnestra and makes her think she is killing Agamemnon for Iphigenia’s