Justice In The Oreesteia

hen we look throughout the world and its history one can surmise that in any civilized nation there must be a system of justice in order to prevent chaos and anarchy to rule over the land. However, people and society’s construction of what justice is and what constitutes a just act can differ. The historical writing of Aeschylus in the Oresteia and the 3 dialogues by plato Euthyrpo,apology and crito are two works of literature that clearly exemplify different concepts of justice. When we compare both readings we are allowed to draw on some social and political implications of what justice is and what it should be. These implication can help us understand justice in the present day and how it has evolved and been shaped due to the past. By

the authoer Aesuhchlus was an athenian playwright. Who wrote a trilogy of tragedies that deals with a family from the house of Atreus in Mycenae. Throughout the story memebers of the family believe they are acting in a justified manner, since they are enacting revenge on those who they have felt have wronged them. However, when these characters act in the name justice they end up getting killed themselves, thereby continuing the ongoing family curse. In order to break the cycle of killing in the play the notion of justice in the society is forced to change. the Character Clymenstria In the Orestia is the first character we our introduced to who sees justice as synonymous with revenge. Clymestria’s husband, The king a Mycenae, has just arrived home to Mycenae after being away fighting the Trojan war. While some might say he is a war hero Clymenstrea does not look at him in this light. Her husband as a sacrfifice murdered Iphegnia, clymestria daughterr for the gods. This to clymestria is a act that must be punished. In return for murdering her daughter clymestria enacts a plan that kills her husband and his love Cassandra.This eye for eye method of jusice was seen my Cleymstrea as a deserved act of returbution

While the son is aware that killing his mother can anger the gods and furies and kill him. He feels bound to listen to Apollo. This curse is ended by the son going to trial. Now while he did kills his father one god appolo says that it is justified and promises the curse won take him. However the furies believe this to not be true. This culminated with him going on trial and evneutally being aquitted the furries represent justice as vengeance but are proven to be and insufficient spolution of justice as the harm more then they do good. The trial stand for democracy and fairness athen at the end turns the furies into eumindaes ones afo ligh and marriage. This symbolizes thart justice is supposed to be about democracy and fairness and when we use justice as reveng it causes more harm then good. Another implication produced in the Oresteia is that more advanced societys will use a justice system of democracy. Like the trial that the god gave the brother. This is evindent because the trial system was brought from Athens. The greeks city that was regarded as one of the most ahead and best city of its time. The Oresteia is written my a athnenian wrtiter who has a ppurpose in his writing of proving how far ahead the Athenians were in twwheir time including there justice system. Athenina bring justice by trial as a completely new system to mycena. And while this system is perhaps more advantageous the the previous one of