Oresteia

Every character in Aeschylus's Oresteia is concerned with the notion of justice. The trilogy repeatedly emphasizes a fundamental concept of justice: revenge. It is a really simple but powerfully emotional basis for justice, associating retribution with family, emotions and honor. The Oresteia explores whether the revenge ethic is adequate as a legitimate basis for justice. It depicts the flaws of the practice of personal vendetta: the cyclical nature of blood crimes and the lack of a clear…

The ethos of ancient Greeks was an immense level of cruelty. As portrayed in Aeschylus’ The Oresteia, the Greeks were inherently cruel to others for their personal gain. Consecutive murders, harsh wars, and disregard of familial bonds were common actions for the Greeks. The Greeks cruelty towards others is unique to their culture and time. The respect, fear, and power that typically result from cruel actions were greatly desired by the Greeks. The Greeks were intrinsically cruel to assert their…

Losing a loved one to another loved one is arguably one of the worst experiences a human can endure, but our reaction to this atrocious betrayal of trust can be enough to convict us. This is precisely what happened to Clytemnestra in Aeschylus’ Oresteia. Before the Trojan war, when Agamemnon was setting sail for Troy, the wind would not allow him to leave so he sacrificed his daughter, Iphigenia, to the gods. He then left Clytemnestra to rule for ten years not including the several years of…

differs from one another. In many cases women are depicted as the embodiment of intelligence and chastity, who are then able to serve their husbands at their command; where as another depiction represents women as deceitful and greedy creatures. In The Oresteia, Clytaemnestra highlights the cruel nature, not only of women, but of all humanity, while Penelope in The Odyssey embodies the ideal woman who is able to prove her loyalty to her husband despite a separation of twenty years. In both…

In Aeschylus’ The Oresteia, a controversial issue has been whether it is right or wrong to enact revenge, or if justice should be sought after by the law. On the one hand, some argue that justice can only be procured by the law and fair judgement of a trial, because it eliminates passionate thought and bias. On the other hand, however, others argue that justice is brought to a person with an “eye for an eye” perspective, where people take it upon themselves to get what they want. In the words of…

We all have similar and contrasting views on justice, what it is, when it is needed on our side, and how it can be achieved. These views, however, may conflict with each other. Some of us may accept certain circumstances as a part of our daily life, such as the female, while others may argue against them and raise their pitchforks and torches blazing brightly comparable to their righteousness. In the latter scenario, to what extent should we let that righteousness control our actions before we…

Each God or Goddess in Ancient Greek life had a role. Some provided people with a sense of hope, some provided people with fame, and the Goddess Athena provided a sense of authority for humanity. In The Oresteia, a trilogy written by Aeschylus her power is shown in many ways, stemming from the fact that she is the Greek Goddess of War, a job that requires a person to have a sense of strong authority. In a war zone, authority is necessary to gain and maintain control and to provide structure…

and how they were shaped. One of the views noted was his distaste for tragedy. In the first half of the Augustine and Culture Seminar, the Oresteia, a trilogy of Greek tragedies was discussed. This essay will explore why Augustine would have an unfavorable view of the work, and also why he might have some leniency toward it. Before Augustine’s view of the Oresteia can be predicted, it is important to understand Augustine’s view of tragedies in general. In his Confessions, he goes into great…

Aeschylus’ trilogy of plays, the Oresteia, deals with gender roles in ancient Athens, particularly through the chorus in the third play, the Eumenides. The expectation of women in Athenian society included caring for and watching over the home and family, and also listening to the men, as they were of higher status. The Erinyes in the Oresteia, however, are female characters independently willed and portrayed as violent and powerful. They later become the Eumenides, hidden underground and…

protect himself from the Gods? For revenge? To end the circle of death? These are the wrong questions though. One might purport: Why did Orestes falter for even a second? Now we realize that even though Orestes fearlessly complies throughout the Oresteia, there comes a moment when his humanity is overpowering, a moment where he can transcend the confines of the Gods, peer…