Orestes Orestes is the central figure of the trilogy. He is the main character of the second and third plays, and, though he does not appear in Agamemnon, he is mentioned frequently and his return home is predicted.
Who is the hero in the Oresteia?
The titular character of the first play of the trilogy, Agamemnon is a great Greek hero, one of the key figures in their decisive victory in the Trojan War. To please the goddess Artemis and have the winds shift in his favor before the battle, he sacrificed the life of his daughter Iphigenia.
Who are the characters in the classical play the Oresteia?
| The Eumenides | Orestes Pursued by the Furies by William-Adolphe Bouguereau | Written by Aeschylus | Chorus The Erinyes | Characters Priestess Apollo Orestes Ghost of Clytemnestra Athena Athenian citizens |
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Who are the main characters in Agamemnon?
- Agamemnon. The King of Argos, the husband of Clytemnestra, and the commander of the Greek armies during the siege of Troy. ...
- Clytemnestra. The play’s protagonist, Clytemnestra is Agamemnon’s wife and has ruled Argos in his absence. ...
- Chorus. ...
- Cassandra. ...
- Aegisthus. ...
- The Watchman. ...
- The Herald.
What are the names of the 3 plays in Aeschylus Oresteia?
“The Oresteia“ trilogy by the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus consists of the three linked plays “ Agamemnon” , “The Libation Bearers” and “The Eumenides” .
Is Clytemnestra a hero or villain?
Two of the most famous Greek tragic heroes (heroines) were Medea and Clytemnestra. They share characteristics Aristotle deemed essential for the heroic character in a tragedy. They are both of high rank. Medea is a princess and a sorceress, and Clytemnestra was the de facto ruler of Argos in Agamemnon’s absence.
Who dies first in the Libation Bearers?
Agamemnon . Orestes and Electra’s father , murdered prior to the beginning of the play by Clytamnestra, his wife.
What sort of woman is Clytemnestra?
Electra tells us that Clytemnestra is a cruel, pitiless, woman , a killer of her own husband who deserves to be punished for her actions. According to Electra, Clytemnestra killed Agamemnon so that she could be with Aegisthus.
Did Agamemnon sacrifice his daughter?
The fleet assembled at the port of Aulis in Boeotia but was prevented from sailing by calms or contrary winds that were sent by the goddess Artemis because Agamemnon had in some way offended her. To appease the wrath of Artemis, Agamemnon was forced to sacrifice his own daughter Iphigeneia .
What are the main themes of the Oresteia?
- THE JUSTICE OF GOD -DIKE and THEMIS (divine Justice and the Law of Nature. ...
- REVENGE Composed of three elements: ...
- WOMAN RIGHT VERSUS MAN-RIGHT i.e. mother vs. ...
- THE EFFECTS OF REVENGE. ...
- MAN’S OWN RESPONSIBILITY for his deeds and HUMAN JUSTICE AND COURTS OF JUSTICE. ...
- THE CONSEQUENCES OF WAR.
Who killed Achilles?
Achilles is killed by an arrow, shot by the Trojan prince Paris . In most versions of the story, the god Apollo is said to have guided the arrow into his vulnerable spot, his heel. In one version of the myth Achilles is scaling the walls of Troy and about to sack the city when he is shot.
What was the curse of Cassandra?
In Greek mythology, Cassandra was cursed for her ability to predict the future . No one listened to her. One of the consequences was the ruinous fall of Troy to the Greeks. She herself was captured, and then killed.
Who does Agamemnon bring back with him to Argos?
The first play of the trilogy, Agamemnon, takes place in Argos shortly after the fall of Troy. Agamemnon returns home with only one ship because his fleet was scattered by a storm at sea. He is accompanied by his newest concubine, Cassandra , the daughter of the king of Troy.
What does Eumenides mean in English?
: the Furies in Greek mythology.
What is the message of The Oresteia?
The importance of Aeschylus’s The Oresteia is important because the tragedy presents the main aspects of Greek tragedy. Presenting the trilogy, deals with the themes of the inheritance of evil and retribution of crime .
What is the only extant Greek tragic trilogy?
Oresteia , trilogy of tragic dramas by the ancient Greek dramatist Aeschylus, first performed in 458 bce. It is his last work and the only complete trilogy of Greek dramas that has survived.
