Orestia

Orestia

In the Oresteia, Aeschylus advocates the importance of the male role in society over that of the female.  The entire trilogy can be seen as a subtle proclamation of the superiority of men over women. However, it is the women who create the real interest in the plays.  Without characters like Clytemnestra and Cassandra this play would lack a plot. They, along with a couple other important female characters, are the impetus that makes everything occur.
The most complex and compelling character in the three plays is Clytemnestra. Clytemnestra is consumed with thoughts of revenge.  She seeks vengeance on Agamemnon for the loss of their daughter, Iphigenia whose life was forfeited in order to appease the goddess Artemis so that Agamemnon's troops would be allowed passage to the Trojan shore. Clytemnestra displays more intelligence than any other character in The Oresteia in the way she manipulates the events leading up to Agamemnon's execution in the play "Agamemnon."  Her scheming ways and clever word play make her intimidating to the people of Argos. She is looked upon with disgust because of the manly way she acts.  The chorus leader states, "spoken like a man, my lady, loyal, full of self-command." (Aeschylus). Odysseus had quick wit and was looked highly upon because of it, yet intelligence and wit, while exulted in a man, are threatening characteristics in a woman.  In the kingdom, Clytemnestra has been having an open affair with Aegisthus. The chorus, who acts as the voice of the common man, and therefore the voice of morality, condemn her for this affair even though it is common practice for men in ancient Greece to have many extramarital affairs themselves.  In this way Aeschylus condones the double standards thrust upon the women of the time, but he also, sets up Clytemnestra as the antagonist of the plays. Because she broke away from the traditional female role, she set up the scenario for the entire story. Clytemnestra is thus the driving force behind...