Agamemnon And Clytemnestra Analysis

Josh Dao

Mr. Kubus

English IV – 01

April 22, 2014

“Agamemnon” or Clytemnestra in Aeschylus’ Agamemnon

The role of women in ancient Greece when put side by side with the role of men is relatively insignificant, yet in Greek tragedies such as Agamemnon, Oedipus the King and Orestes, the women are often given the title of “main character,” thus revealing the ideal standards of how women are treated and thought of in society at the time. Many, if not most of the popular Greek tragedies have several female roles that aren’t simple and irrelevant but rather, they are complex and thoroughly thought out to be involved well into the play. Usually, the feminine characters take up the role as the heroine, the victim or the villain. Sometimes, to make the play extra dramatic, the playwrights will incorporate all three of the personalities into one female role. A well known woman who accomplished that was Clytemnestra in Aeschylus’ Agamemnon who threw many twists and turns into the plot.

Having Agamemnon away at war for so long left Clytemnestra lonely and longing for his return as did many others who thought order had been lost since his departure. And naturally, as she is second in command when he is present, she is head honcho while he is absent. “That woman—she maneuvers like a man” (Aeschylus 13). When comparing Agamemnon and Clytemnestra together they can be on two separate scales. When seen from the outside it is obvious the Agamemnon wears the pants in the house, yet in the dialogues between the two, Agamemnon easily bows to the words of Clytemnestra which tosses up the question of who is really governing Argos. She takes things upon herself to make Agamemnon appear more of a king than he would be without her “aid.” For examp...

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...ery little power in this play, but Kitto argues that she “brings out the character of Agamemnon, titular hero of the play; she emphasizes for the audience his tragic flaw: his pride and arrogance” (Counts). Although she seems as if she is in the shadow of Clytemnestra, her gift of prophesy proves otherwise. Because of Clytemnestra’s powerful character and her devious plan, Cassandra gets the short end of the stick and gets overlooked sometimes. While that’s true in some cases she acts as the only way that Aeschylus can communicate and draw a reader’s attention not only to Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, but to the fine print of the play.

Cassandra is one of those characteristically Aeschylean women who are touched with a divine force that expresses itself in a visual and visionary imagination.