Orestes

curse" are also common (Aeschylus 203, 553). Orestes ' entire family is plagued by a curse; his entire family, from Tantalus to Agamemnon, has been tortured throughout history with a cycle of killings that are justified with the excuse of bringing justice to the previous victim (Aeschylus 279). Because of the curse, doing the right thing brings punishment to those involved. By way of example, the Furies, gods of retribution, seek vengeance on Orestes for murdering Clytaemnestra: "...and from the…

discuss how these themes deepen our understanding of the primordial instincts- e.g. fear, jealousy, hared, - in correlation with how these themes interact with the characters and plots of this trilogy. I also intend to discuss how the solution of Orestes’ case was problematic and unqualified for the description to which it…

without trial; even those who worship the divine may carry out their will. This can be portrayed by Orestes hesitation to kill Clytemnestra where he shows a hint of mercy for his mother and asks Pylades, “[Pylades] what should I do? How can I kill my own mother?” (line 899, pg. 105) He replies and reminds him that it is “better to be hated by every man on earth than hated by the gods,” and Orestes agrees (line 902, pg. 105). Pylades clearly states that the gods have a significant jurisdiction…

retributive justice served as both a strict societal code and an expectation of the cosmos. In The Eumenides by Aeschylus, the Furies serve as the defenders of this justice, which is explored in depth during the Furies’ monologue as they pursue Orestes for his matricide. In order to understand this passage fully, the reader must first grasp the Furies’ sense of justice. To these beings, justice is rooted in the ancient laws that require equal retribution for crimes that one commits. Unlike the…

In Aeschylus’ play Agamemnon, the dynamic, strong female character of Clytaemnestra is introduced. Left alone for ten years, she has become bitter after Agamemnon had sacrificed their daughter, Iphigeneia, in order to sail to Troy. Clytaemnestra is waiting for her revenge. Clytaemnestra’s two speeches after Agamemnon has returned to Argos and is entering the palace reveal that she is convicting him of the murder of Iphigeneia and sentencing him to death. In Clytaemnestra’s first speech when…

Classics Holiday Homework Mythic Characters: Ajax: Ajax or Telemonian Ajax was considered Greece’s second warrior during the Trojan War. Ajax fought various battles, most of which were easy victories, however Hector of Troy came the closest to beating Ajax when the two fought one on one. It was when Achilles armour was awarded to Odysseus instead of Ajax that the warrior was ultimately defeated. Ajax became delusional with rage and as a result killed sheep who he thought were the Greeks who…

with the expectation of loyalty from the son to the father and vice versa. In The Iliad, Hector is loyal to his father, Priam, when Hector himself heads back to the war without a second thought. Meanwhile, in The Odyssey, Orestes is loyal to his father, Agamemnon, when Orestes himself avenges his father’s killer. Meanwhile, Laertes is loyal to Odysseus because he is honored to see Odysseus back from war, and lastly Telemachos is prideful to stand in his father’s throne and continue the legacy…

states that he “‘longs to die’”(1.71). This creates sympathy towards the audience and Zeus which proceeds to planning Odysseus’ journey home. 2. CHARACTERIZATION When advising Telemachus to search for his father, Athena mentions “‘what glory Prince Orestes won throughout the world’” when he killed Aegisthus who had killed his father(1.343). Athena’s words highlight that Telemachus has done nothing…

common definition and know its apparent portrayal in actions of themselves and others. For example, the Argive elders praised the honor of the men following their ruler to fight in Troy and called Aegisthus, who stayed behind “a coward” (Ag. 1644) and Orestes emasculated him by calling him a “woman at heart” (Cho. 305). Although the people describing Aegisthus had different experiences with him, they saw the same lack of a quality in him in comparison to the honored and glorified men that…

your gods tell you to do so? In the Edith Hamilton`s “The House of Atreus” Orestes is forced to make that choice in a situation that could argue that the death of his father could have been just ,but because he cannot let his father’s death call go unanswered at the same time there is another sacred rule to never kill your mother. The lesson in this is that through pain we learn answers then through that we form wisdom. Orestes himself says “I have been taught by misery” (Hamilton 349). They…