Monday, October 19, 2009

Agamemnon

Agamemnon's death in his self-titled play seemed very fitting to me. It was satisfying in that he was punished (in my view) fairly for his murder of his own daughter as a sacrifice to the gods. The appearance of one murder to avenge another murder fits into the pattern of "violence begets violence" quite well. I liked that Clytemneptra had the courage to avenge her daughter's death, but it didn't make me like her any more. The descriptions of her character in general didn't particularly endear her to me, especially when the chorus describes her as having masculine aims and ambitions.
As depressing and tragic as the story is, however, it is definitely clear that Aeschylus achieved his aim in making the play extremely cathartic. There are no truly happy or joyful moments in the play at all, the action and plot of the story all focuses on murder and violence. Setting up the background with Iphigenia being murdered gives a reason for Agamemnon to be murdered but also helps the viewers/readers get involved with the story by wanting him to be punished. The only emotions that the audience is supposed to feel are anger and dislike, and that's what I felt reading the play.

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