own versions of the Electra story. The basic plot is as follows: Agamemnon is killed by Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus after he returns from the Trojan war to reclaim his sister-in-law Helen from the Trojans. Electra and her brother Orestes plot to kill their mother and her lover to revenge his death. Both authors wrote about the same plot, but the built the story very differently. Sophocles focused on Orestes, and Euripides focused more on the life of Electra. In Sophocles's version
Importance of the Tutor in Electra When delving into a novel, drama or other character-based text, analysts often focus their search around the supposed "major characters" who seem to most directly affect the work. In considering Electra, however, just as valuable as Orestes, Clytemnestra or Electra herself is a somewhat minor character, the Tutor. This attendant of Orestes emerges only three times and is on stage for less than twenty percent of the spoken lines, yet his role in driving the
The Redeeming Features of the Characters in Electra In Euripides' 'Electra', there are a number of parts, speaking and non-speaking, that reveal the redeeming features of the otherwise pitiful characters. This essay will consider the roles of Orestes, Electra, Clytemnestra, the Peasant and Aegisthus (whose actions are only reported to us). It is arguable that the characters are not redeemable due simply to the plot of the play: a son returns, kills his father's unworthy successor, his
Deceitful Clytemnestra of Euripides' Electra Agamemnon returns from Troy, a victorious general, bringing home spoils, riches and fame. He is murdered on the same day as he returns. Clytemnestra, his adulterous wife, has laid in wait for her husband's homecoming and kills him whilst he is being bathed after his long journey. During the Agamemnon, large proportions of the Queen's words are justifications for her action, which is very much concerned with the sacrifice of Iphigenia to the gods,
In the story of Electra, Chrysothemis “is in many ways the invisible woman” (Choate 183). As stated by Amber Jacobs, “her name has been committed to our mythical corpus, yet with a seeming insignificance” (Jacobs 179). Sophocles is the only Greek playwright who mentions her in his version of Electra’s tale. As the tale goes, Chrysothemis was viewed as the obedient daughter, and in an effort to uphold the story of Electra as well as the social norms of the time, Sophocles depicts Chrysothemis as the
Oedipal and Electra Complexes In Rebecca female sexuality is explored through the heroine’s symbolic development of a negative Oedipal complex followed by an Electra complex. Although avoidance of incest was believed by Freud to be the impetus for normal sexual development, the film explores the abnormal outcome of a negative Oedipal/Electra complex, i.e. replacement of the mother by the daughter as the father’s heterosexual love interest. The heroine is torn between her desire to merge with
First Impressions of Clytemnestra in Euripides’ Electra The play begins with the dreary-eyed watchman, scared stiff ("old comrade, terror" 17) of the Queen ("that woman - she manoeuvres like a man" 13) and her tyrannical rule. He says that he cries "for the hard times" that he endures. We are very sure from what he says that the House of Atreus is in cruel hands and he clamours for the return of his "loving" King. Clytemnestra is never mentioned by name, as the sentry is afraid of punishment
Vengeance in Electra, The Bacchae and Frankenstein In today's world, vengeance is still in existence, bubbling below our calm facade, waiting for the catalyst it needs to break loose. Evidence can be seen right now in the reactions of the American people towards Bin Laden. He destroyed so many lives, and now, there is probably not one American that would not love to get their minute alone with him. The American people want to hurt him the way he and his followers hurt their fellow Americans
and Sophocles' Electra The act of revenge in classical Greek plays and society is a complex issue with unavoidable consequences. In certain instances, it is a more paramount concern than familial ties. When a family member is murdered another family member is expected to seek out and administer revenge. If all parties involved are of the same blood, the revenge is eventually going to wipe out the family. Both Aeschylus, through "The Oresteia Trilogy," and Sophocles, through "Electra," attempt to
Women Behaving Like Men in Antigone, Electra, and Medea Throughout Antigone, Electra, and Medea, many double standards between men and women surface. These become obvious when one selects a hero from these plays, for upon choosing, then one must rationalize his or her choice. The question then arises as to what characteristics make up the hero. How does the character win fame? What exactly is excellent about that character? These questions must be answered in order to choose a hero in
Religious Beliefs in Aeschylus' Oresteia, Homer’s Iliad, and Sophocles’ Electra The final and definitive defeat of the Persian army at the battle of Plataea represented the end of an age-long threat to Athens. But the victory was also a miracle, as all the odds were against the Athenians at the onset of the war. While Pericles took charge of Athens after the war and started the advance of democracy, religion also thrived. The rebuilding of the Acropolis and the construction of the Parthenon
becomes Electra, one of the most controversial plays in American history. O'Neill had been happily married at one time, but his marriage fell apart and it ended in divorce. During this time, O'Neill became enthralled with the psychoanalytical view on life, which continued to haunt him for most of his life. After the divorce, O'Neill remarried, but was still fascinated with psychoanalytical views. His obsession with such views became bluntly palpable with the publication of Mourning Becomes Electra, where
Euripides’ Electra is a tragedy that encourages readers to consider the problematic nature of humanity’s response to injustice: its quest to make fair that which is unfair, to correct unjust actions, and to mark the fragile border between what is ethically correct and morally wrong. Aristophanes’ Clouds is a tragedy disguised as a comedy that illuminates Strepsiades’s profound disregard for justice, conduct, and the establishment of civilization. Underneath Aristophanes’ comedic approach lies a dark
The South Sea Islands The carefree islands of the South Sea are a most desirable locale for a vacation or honeymoon. In the play Mourning Becomes Electra, by Eugene O'Neill, the islands are a place where sex is not seen as a sin and people live life freely, as nature intended people to do so. This play was written in a setting where such actions were frowned upon. It was also these islands where escaping to them with Christine Mannon, was a goal never achieved by two men, both who met a painful
Sophocles’ and Euripides’ versions of Electra carry, among many similarities, a central theme of revenge. The characters, Electra and Orestes, must reunite to avenge their father’s murder. Misfortunately, in both versions the just solution leads the siblings to destroying their own mother. Both versions of Electra can be compared to Aeschylus’ Libation Bearers. However, they are both more dramatic, and more similar to each other than if each Electra was individually compared to the play by
Euripian play. Their role in society of that time was a great contrast to that of the men. Compared to today, women were miles apart from men; they were not even considered citizens of their region. This is obvious in the chorus where in the Electra, Medea and Hippolytus there is a chorus of women. This was unheard of in the time when the plays were written. A chorus is typically made up of wise men of Athens, therefore making it up of women would in that age, be very controversial. In Medea
Vengeance in Oresteia From the beginning of time vengeance or retribution has been part of the human condition. This is especially true in Aeschylus's trilogy the Oresteia. One of the underlying themes in these works is Oculo pro oculo or an eye for an eye. According to the plays introduction by Richmond Lattimore, the history behind this blood feud of vengeance begins with Atreus and Thyestes. Atreus tricks his brother Thyestes into partaking of his own children (another possible Hannibal
Electra by Sophocles is a tragedy that focuses very singularly on grief and its effects. It concerns the attempts of Electra, (Kristen Scott-Thomas), to avenge her father Agamemnon by killing her mother Clytemnestra (Diana Quick) with the advice of the virgins of the palace and her sister Crysothemis (Cait Davis), and the help of her long lost brother Orestes (Jack Lowden). The tragedy has little subtext and makes very obvious the feelings of the characters. This takes away from some subtleties of
Language in Aeschylus Language is Aeschylus' juggernaut: he uses striking, innovative words to drive an image into the mind of his audience. Clytaemestra, notorious as a villain or perhaps an anti- heroine, effectively acts as a medium for Aeschylus’ brilliant rhetoric in Agamemnon. Clytaemestra’s rhetoric not only invokes vivid imagery, but also confuses and perverts spheres of logic and rhetoric: sacrifice with murder, liquids with cloth, and blood with wine. These images overturn the values
In “The Oresteia” trilogy, the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus advocates the importance of the male role in society over that of the female. The entire trilogy can be seen as a subtle proclamation of the superiority of men over women. Yet, the women create the real interest in the plays. Their characters are the impetus that makes everything occur. The most complex and compelling character in the three plays is Clytaemnestra. Clytaemnestra is consumed with thoughts of revenge. She seeks vengeance