CLASSICS 1B03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Oresteia, Clytemnestra, Aeschylus
30 Nov 2015
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Lecture 13: aeschylus" oresteia: agamemnon and libation bearers. Tragic = pertaining to tragedy as a genre. Heroism in tragedy: tragedians not interested in heroic ideals, how a hero would fit into contemporary life (hint: not well, tragedy shows the downfall of the hero/of royalty, agamemnon fits the model. Clytemnestra"s prayer to zeus; words are cryptic and ominous. Clytemnestra"s search for justice; reveals that she has been lying all along, explains what she did to agamemnon. Traps him in the bath and strikes him with a sword/knife. Talk about justice and how this act is justice for her daughter. Aegisthus (agamemnon"s cousin) clytemnestra"s weakened lover: problem: the king is now dead, a woman is now in charge. Aegisthus is described at woman-like while clytemnestra is described as man-like, signals a problem in the household. Clytemnestra"s authority at the end: a woman in charge= danger.
