blood, the revenge is eventually going to wipe out the family. Both Aeschylus, through "The Oresteia Trilogy," and Sophocles, through "Electra," attempt to show the Athenians that revenge is a just act that at times must have no limits on its reach. Orestes and his sister Electra, the children of the slain Agamemnon, struggle on how to avenge their father's death. Although unsure what course of action they must take, both brother and sister are in agreement that revenge must occur. Revenge is a crucial
weight to the death of a woman" (Eumenides 737-739). This is Athena's judgment, and it sets Orestes free not on the basis that he acted justly, but on the basis that she can "not give greater weight to the death of a woman." By using litotes, Athena belies sympathy for the female in her seemingly male-favoring judgment. In fact, the victory for Apollo and Orestes is far from complete. Before the judgment, Orestes meets the Erinyes and cries out, "O lord Apollo, see, they multiply; and they drip from
The Role of Dreams in Genesis, Song of Songs, and The Oresteia When describing the role of dreams in ancient texts, Freud wrote, “They took it for granted that dreams were related to the world of the supernatural beings in whom they believed, and that they brought inspirations from the gods and demons. Moreover, it appeared to them that dreams must serve a special purpose in respect of the dreamer; that, as a rule, they predicted the future.” He goes on to explain the findings of a fellow
Justice in Orestes Aeschylus is primarily concerned with the nature of justice. In the trilogy The Oresteia, the Akhaians evolve from an older, more primitive autocratic form of justice, to a new concept of civil justice devised by Athena. He confronts the contrast between the old and new orders, the lives of the members of the House of Atreus, and the serious moral questions that Orestes' crime presents. The case against Orestes is strong. The son admits to striking down his mother, in
Orestes: An Innocent Hero Throughout time there has been a universal question that does not yet yield a universal answer. All people have a different view on whether or not it is right to avenge the killing of another, through the death of the killers. In America during this day and age, it is the obligation of the court system to decide whether or not a murderer should be put to death. Most of the time, the criminal is sentenced to a prison term, but when a judge decides to issue the death penalty
The People v. Orestes In the last portion of 'The Orestia';, titled 'The Euminides';, Aeschlyus describes the trial of Orestes, who is brought in front of a jury on the charge of matricide. The jury hands in a tied verdict and the goddess Athena casts the deciding vote in favor of Orestes. This of course begs the question: Was Athena's decision fair? I believe that this decision was in the best interest of fairness because Orestes was motivated by Apollo, enraged by the murder of his father, and
A great example of a “great and powerful son” is Orestes. Upon Agamemnon’s (Orestes’s father) return from Troy , he was murdered by a man named Aigisthos whose goal was to claim Agamemnon’s wife Clytemnestra. In response, Orestes “Cut down that two-faced man” (p.10) and avenged his father. Orestes was brave and followed the footsteps of his father. Telemakhos (the son of King Odysseus and Queen Penelope) develops into a son quite similar to Orestes. Although this development leads Telemakhos to be
Orestes' matricide has been presented in various ways by the poets Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides in each of their plays. I have observed the multitude of contrasting devices in each of the plays. Aeschylus has the most unique play of the three, as he does not include Orestes' sister, Electra, in the matricide directly. Instead of having Electra as the one to convince Orestes to commit the deed, as we see in Sophocles and Euripides, we see the character Pylades take on that role. Sophocles involves
Introduction:- Since Sophocles and Euripides’s tragedies Electra and Orestes got so much success, name and received great critical acclaim they have been extensively approached and discussed in terms of characterization, themes, symbols, plot, incestuous love, demolition, betrayal and especially lamentation. For instance, Vengeance is the soul of the both plays and it is largely discussed as major themes of the play. But its connection with the tragedy of characters is far away better to be discussed
the family of Orestes. In the first play, Agamemnon, the blood of Orestes’ father, Agamemnon, and his father’s war prize, Casandra, spills at the hands of Orestes’ mother, Clytamnestra. Following suit, Orestes avenges his father’s cold-blooded murder in the second play, The Libation Bearer, by killing his mother and her lover, Aegisthus. The acts of revenge by Orestes come to a climax in the third and final play of the trilogy, The Eumenides. With a monumental trial between Orestes and the Furies
day. Society has been testing multiple schooling styles to try and find the best form to benefit all students equally. In the reading assigned in class from the textbook, “School and Society: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives,” I agree with Orestes Brownson’s assessment that Horace Mann’s plan for common schooling and establishment of normal schools was undemocratic, because it did affect our free society as a country, produce conservative teachers and the board did have influence on what books
of Agamemnon, the king of Argos. Orestes, the son of Agamemnon, has come to Argos from exile to avenge the death of his father. Agamemnon’s murderer is his wife, Clytemnestra, which is also Orestes mother. Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus, killed Agamemnon for sacrificing their daughter, Iphigenia, to the gods. After Orestes gives an offering to the river of Argos and Agamemnon, he sees Electra, his sister, approaching Agamemnon’s tomb with her slaves. Orestes and Pylades, Orestes’s friend, go
through the character, Orestes, due to its detrimental effect on society. Aeschylus contrasts Clytemnestra and Orestes’ personalities. It was necessary for Orestes to end the blood feud because it resulted in the deaths of this family. Due to Clytemnestra’s hubris, she believes that she is ending the blood feud by murdering her husband; however, she is entering herself into the vendetta. Aeschylus hints at the idea of law replacing the vendetta to foreshadow the later coming of Orestes. The vendetta had
Flies In Jean -Paul Sarte's play, "The Flies", the main character Orestes manages to lift a curse that has plagued the dwellers of Argos for decades. Both the current king of Argos and Zeus himself are perpetuating this curse for as long as possible for the curse keeps the people subservient and in a state of mourning and terror of their own actions; two things that both the king and Zeus favor in their rule over people. Orestes was actually a resident of Argos and is the first child of the Queen
themselves the Eumenides, or Benevolent Ones, these gods have progressed from symbols of evil darkness into symbols of bright goodness. In his trilogy the Oresteia, Aeschylus' use of darkness and light imagery coincides with his progression of themes. Orestes, who represents light, brings and end to the vicious cycle of dark death continued by Clytaemestra. He illuminates the dark evil in the house of Atreus. Likewise, Athene and Apollo bring the Furies out of their dark, blood-lusting ways and into an
Sophocles vs Euripides 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
must be seized and obeyed simultaneously, as Orestes explains in the end of the play: “Neither slave nor master. I am my freedom” (Sartre 493). In fact, the Oxford English Dictionary defines existe... ... middle of paper ... ...and would simply be carrying out another order that was predetermined many years ago. Because Sartre wrote The Flies during the Nazi occupation, Orestes’ decision to take action against the tyrannical Aegistheus is crucial. Orestes represents the French people, and Sartre
right after Orestes’ kills Aegisthus there is dialogue between his mother and himself. Before the dialogue happens Orestes’ brings his mother over to where he killed Aegisthus, so that she could be killed by him too. The dialogue that happens between the Orestes and his mother is that she is trying to get him to not kill her because she is his mother and that she raised him and that she did not give him away. His mother continues to give him a speech that she thinks will stop Orestes from killing
of Electra is more involved and stronger. Orestes is on his way back to Mycenae and plots revenge for his father death. While Orestes is travelling back Electra is seen arguing with Chrysothemis about her accommodation with their father’s murders. Electra is still enraged about her father’s murder; she resents her mother and wants Orestes to avenge Agamemnon. When Orestes arrives at the palace no one recognizes him, a messenger then announces that Orestes as died, upon this knowledge Electra is devastated
defeat and embarrassment, or to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, to satisfy Artemis whom had stopped the winds to delay Agamemnon's fleet. Second is Orestes, son of Agamemnon, who was given the choice by Apollo to avenge his father's murder, thus committing matricide, or face a series of torturous consequences. Although both Agamemnon and Orestes were faced with major dilemmas, their intentions and their characters are revealed through their actions to be markedly different. Agamemnon and his