The Oresteia

Who wrote The Oresteia, and when was it first performed?

The Oresteia was written by Aeschylus and first performed in 458 BCE at the Dionysia festival in Athens.

What are the three plays in The Oresteia?

Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides.

What is the central conflict of The Oresteia?

The cycle of blood vengeance within the House of Atreus and the eventual shift from personal revenge to a system of legal justice.

How does The Oresteia reflect the transition in Greek society?

It represents the shift from a system of personal vendetta to a structured legal system as seen in Athens.

Where does Agamemnon take place, and what event has just occurred?

It takes place in Argos, just after the Greeks have won the Trojan War.

How is the news of Troy’s fall brought to Argos?

A system of signal fires, a form of ancient telegraphy.

Who is Clytemnestra, and what role does she play in Agamemnon?

She is Agamemnon’s wife, who has been ruling Argos in his absence and plots his murder.

Why does Clytemnestra want to kill Agamemnon?

She seeks revenge for the sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia, and has also taken Aegisthus as her lover.

Who is Aegisthus, and what is his motivation for revenge?

He is the cousin of Agamemnon and the son of Thyestes, who seeks revenge because Agamemnon’s father, Atreus, killed his brothers.

Who is Cassandra, and what is her fate?

Cassandra is a Trojan princess and a prophetess, taken as a war prize by Agamemnon. She foresees her own murder but is powerless to stop it.

How does Clytemnestra kill Agamemnon?

She traps him in a net while he is bathing and stabs him multiple times.

How does Clytemnestra justify Agamemnon’s murder?

She claims it is divine justice for the murder of Iphigenia.

What is the Chorus’s reaction to the murder?

They are horrified but also acknowledge that Agamemnon's fate is part of a cycle of revenge.

What does the title The Libation Bearers refer to?

It refers to the women who bring offerings (libations) to Agamemnon’s grave.

Who is Orestes, and why does he return to Argos?

Orestes is the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. He returns to avenge his father’s murder, following Apollo’s command.

Who is Electra, and what role does she play?

She is Orestes’ sister, who prays for vengeance and helps him carry out the plan.

What is the significance of Orestes recognizing Electra at the tomb?

It signifies their unity in seeking revenge and fulfilling their father’s honor.

How does Orestes justify killing his mother?

He believes it is his divine duty as commanded by Apollo.

What happens immediately after Orestes kills Clytemnestra?

He is haunted by the Furies (Erinyes), spirits of vengeance who punish matricide.

Where does The Eumenides begin?

At Apollo’s temple in Delphi, where Orestes seeks purification.

Who defends Orestes in his trial?

Apollo.

Who prosecutes Orestes?

The Furies, who demand justice for matricide.

Where does the trial take place, and who presides over it?

In Athens, with Athena as the judge.

How does Athena resolve the case?

She casts the deciding vote in Orestes’ favor, acquitting him.

What happens to the Furies after the trial?

They are transformed into the Eumenides ('Kindly Ones') and become protectors of justice rather than vengeance.

What is the significance of the trial?

It marks the end of the cycle of blood revenge and the establishment of legal justice.

What does The Oresteia say about justice?

It presents the evolution from personal revenge to state-sanctioned justice.

How is gender depicted in the trilogy?

Clytemnestra defies traditional gender roles, and Athena’s ruling favors the patriarchal order.

What role do the gods play in The Oresteia?

They influence human actions and represent different aspects of justice (Apollo = divine command, Athena = balance, Furies = retribution).

What is the significance of blood in the trilogy?

Blood represents both familial ties and the endless cycle of revenge.

How does the play reflect Athenian values?

It reinforces Athenian democracy and the city’s legal system.

What does 'The man who acts must suffer' mean?

Actions have consequences, reinforcing the theme of fate and justice.

Who says 'There is no escape from all of this—the blood that’s wrenched from you,' and why?

The Furies, emphasizing the inevitability of vengeance.

Who says 'I embrace you... I will not bring hatred into your house,' and what does it signify?

Athena, when she pacifies the Furies, symbolizing reconciliation and justice.

How does The Oresteia resolve the conflict between revenge and justice?

Through the establishment of a legal court system, replacing personal revenge.

What role does Athena play in the trilogy’s conclusion?

She provides a fair legal judgment and pacifies the Furies, creating order.

How does Orestes’ trial parallel Athenian democracy?

It mirrors the idea of trial by jury and fair legal proceedings.

Why is The Oresteia still relevant today?

It explores themes of justice, gender roles, divine influence, and moral responsibility.