CLASSIC 10A Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Labdacus, Tyrant, Hamartia
Document Summary
Agamemnon: male to female, polis to oikos, kingship to tyranny. Eumenides: female to male, oikos to polis, tyranny to kingship. Oresteia is civic myth: problem in argos, athens is the solution. Cosmic significance: athena stands at the end of succession, athena represents the new order of zeus. Transition to male power: apollo at delphi, androgynous athena, areopagus. Bachofen, das mutterrecht (1861): oresteia reflects historical development from matriarchy to patriarchy. Modern scholarship: myths of matriarchy are a projection of male fears. 495bc (aeschylus born in 513bc, euripides in 480bc) First completes with aeschylus (and won) in 468bc. Wrote more than 120 plays (vs. aeschylus: 70 and euripides: 96) Won at least 20 victories (vs. aeschylus: 13 and euripides: 4) Seven plays preserved in full (vs. aeschylus: 7 and euripides: 19: oedipus the king, oedipus at colonus, antigone (3 theban plays), Died 406bc (aeschylus: 456bc and euripides: 406bc) First stasimon: hymn to inventiveness of man.
