The Furies Fury
In this paper, I will discuss Aeschylus’ The Eumenides. Close reading reveals that while the Furies are angry over Orestes’ actions, their true passion lies more in his punishment than any other part of their speech. This thesis will be demonstrated through the analysis of passages through the lens of the following principles of close reading: temporal order, pronouns, and repetition.
On page 243, lines two hundred fifty five to two hundred seventy one, the Furies are talking about Orestes’s actions, how they feel about Orestes killing Clytemnestra, and the punishment they expect to be put on Orestes for his injustice. In this passage, temporal order is used to show the anger of the Furies by the way in which they speak. It …show more content…
Aeschylus uses this principal by the way he uses the word “you.” Throughout the passage, the Furies uses the word “you” directing their anger towards Orestes and proving the true anger felt. For example, the Furies say “Wither you alive,/ drag you down and there you pay, agony/ for mother-killing agony” (265-68). This statement is very assertive, and by the Furies say “you” and making it clear that Orestes is in the wrong in their opinion, it show how enraged they are. If the Furies were not infuriated, it is possible that they would not keep saying “you” as much, the word “you” is being used accusatorily. This is done multiple times throughout the passage, thus proving further that Aeschylus wants the reader to portray that the anger that is felt by the Furies is real. Another example of this is where the Furies say “No,/ you’ll give me blood for blood, you must!/ Out of your living marrow I will drain/ my red libation, out of your veins I suck my food” (261-63). The way the word “you” is used in this sentence is very direct. Usually, when people use the word you in an argument directed towards one person it means that they are trying to make sure that the person they are accusing is in the wrong and trying to attack them. It is precisely what the Furies are doing to Orestes. In this sentence, it is also clear that the Furies want Orestes to suffer and want him to feel pain as he inflicted pain on his own mother. This further shows the anger of the Furies. They are making sure that they are assertive and let Orestes know that he is wrong. Thus proving that the Furies are infuriated with Orestes and are seeing punishment for his crime against his
In this paper, I will discuss Aeschylus’ The Eumenides. Close reading reveals that while the Furies are angry over Orestes’ actions, their true passion lies more in his punishment than any other part of their speech. This thesis will be demonstrated through the analysis of passages through the lens of the following principles of close reading: temporal order, pronouns, and repetition.
On page 243, lines two hundred fifty five to two hundred seventy one, the Furies are talking about Orestes’s actions, how they feel about Orestes killing Clytemnestra, and the punishment they expect to be put on Orestes for his injustice. In this passage, temporal order is used to show the anger of the Furies by the way in which they speak. It …show more content…
Aeschylus uses this principal by the way he uses the word “you.” Throughout the passage, the Furies uses the word “you” directing their anger towards Orestes and proving the true anger felt. For example, the Furies say “Wither you alive,/ drag you down and there you pay, agony/ for mother-killing agony” (265-68). This statement is very assertive, and by the Furies say “you” and making it clear that Orestes is in the wrong in their opinion, it show how enraged they are. If the Furies were not infuriated, it is possible that they would not keep saying “you” as much, the word “you” is being used accusatorily. This is done multiple times throughout the passage, thus proving further that Aeschylus wants the reader to portray that the anger that is felt by the Furies is real. Another example of this is where the Furies say “No,/ you’ll give me blood for blood, you must!/ Out of your living marrow I will drain/ my red libation, out of your veins I suck my food” (261-63). The way the word “you” is used in this sentence is very direct. Usually, when people use the word you in an argument directed towards one person it means that they are trying to make sure that the person they are accusing is in the wrong and trying to attack them. It is precisely what the Furies are doing to Orestes. In this sentence, it is also clear that the Furies want Orestes to suffer and want him to feel pain as he inflicted pain on his own mother. This further shows the anger of the Furies. They are making sure that they are assertive and let Orestes know that he is wrong. Thus proving that the Furies are infuriated with Orestes and are seeing punishment for his crime against his