AGAMEMNON: AESCHYLUS.

PLOT ACCOUNT

Agamemnon is an ancient Greek drama written by the sensational writer,

Aeschylus, who has been prominent in the literary world with his thrilling works that have impacted
humans in varieties of experiences and situations. Agamemnon can be traced far back to the
12th/13th B.C.E.
The play opens with a watchman who is suffering from a plague of heart. A plague?
What can be the greatest sickness apart from the sickness of the heart? He has been wallowing in
pain on the roof of Agamemnon waiting for that touch that will illuminate his heart and relieve him
of his suffering. He prays to the gods for his safety as he expresses that (….I pray the gods to quit
me of my toils, to close the watch I keep…). When light shines; darkness subsists, however, the
long-awaited touch arrives, thereby shedding light on the preoccupation of the work.
It happens that sins of the past can be attributed to the present, the pollution on the
land of Argos leads to the cluster of lives and actions; the irony of life and characters; and how
powerful the decisions of men can be.
The sickness suffered by the people of Argos can be seen in the action of the
watchman, he is suffering from grief and curiosity as a result of the anticipation of the touches that
will declare the end of the Trojan War, so members of Argos are suffering from the hope of meeting
their kinsmen who have been to Troy for good ten years. A war that is based on the selfish interest
of Agamemnon.
An evil done without the consent of the people is an evil done against the people.
Although the Argives gave their lives to fight the war, it was against their will as they had to fight
not for their cause but for the inordinate ambition of Agamemnon. The voice of the people is the
voice of God gods, it happens that the war is against the will of the people and so it is for the gods,
Agamemnon’s fleet refused to flow on the sea and there came a prophecy that he had to kill his only
daughter, Ipigenia, who happens to be a virgin as a sacrifice to enable his fleet to sail to Troy.
A leader leads by example, Agamemnon happens to be an example of a blind leader.
All in the course of revenge for his brother, Melenaos, whose wife, Helen, was stolen by Paris,
decides to kill his daughter even without informing the mother. No harm can be greater than that,
and the best warehouse of secrets can be but one's heart.
Agamemnon, so eager to embark on his journey to Troy, decides to kill the poor girl,
thereby covering her mouth and shutting her eyes, trying to evade curses that have been reinstated
by nature. Upon killing the daughter, Clytaemestra has fashioned out the death of Agamemnon from
that very day, so patient to carry out her heart desires, Clytaemestra has to wait for ten years to
receive her culprit, Agamemnon.
The long-awaited news that combines both happiness and sadness arrives from a
a fireman to the poor watchman on the roof, the watchman proceeds to inform Clytaemestra about
the success of Argos in the Trojan War, and he expresses his joy for
Clytaemestra and all Argives.
Like a lioness ready to pounce on her prey, Clyteamestra happens to be happy and
she proceeds to light up the shrines. Upon the arrival of the chorus, they are curious about the
touches all around and ask what has transpired, Clytaemestra declares the victory of Argos to them,
and the members of the chorus are not satisfied with the answer as they doubt the information, this
can be seen when one of them says that ‘do you believe in torches and think Troy has been taken?
Nah women’s heart jumps so easily’ despite Clytaemestra ruling them for ten years, they still see
her as worthless. They can't just take the words of a woman so seriously!
After then, a herald enters the podium sharing the news of their victory in Troy and
how happy he is to be back in his home. The news calls for celebration and mourning; celebration
for conquering Troy; mourning for the lost kinsmen and Melenaos who is lost to the sea tides; and
indirectly, the evil that will befall Agamemnon. However, the work of the herald is to deliver happy
news to the people of Argos, and not to let sadness spoil the joy of the moment.
“The higher the mountain peak the nearer it is to Thunderbolt”; the peak of
the event starts to mount upon the arrival of Agamemnon, and we can see Clytaemestra portraying
herself as a plain woman and congratulating herself for her well-suited rule during the absence of
her husband; she has ruled Argos like a man, of course, she appears to be all-good but her identity is
later revealed in the course of the work.
For the arrival of King Agamemnon, Clytaemestra made a purple tapestry lay on the
floor to receive her husband with honor and pride, this leads to the main peak of the event which
features the long debate between the king and his wife, however, Agamemnon has to succumb to
the pressure of his wife and he has to walk on the tapestry, though he puts his shoes off.
As Agamemnon is out of his chariot, he introduces Cassandra(the daughter of
Priam and a good follower of Apollo) to Clytaemestra( she sees Cassandra as a new wife/concubine
to Agamemnon). Clytaemestra accompanies her husband to their abode and demands Cassandra
come into the house, perhaps Cassandra’s death house.
Cassandra, a seer who can't be believed as a result of her unfaithfulness to Apollo,
can see the evil looming in the house; the killing of an innocent virgin; the killings among
brothers( indicating when Atreus, the father of Agamemnon, kills the two sons of Thyestes as
revenge on Thyestes for having affairs with his wife and makes Thyestes to eat the meats of his
sons; and the certainty of retribution of the action of Agamemnon’s father on Agamemnon.
Cassandra shouts about the blood that will soon come up in the house.
No sooner than later, Clytaemestra demands Cassandra enter the house. It seems
Cassandra's riddles make the elders believe her and feel sad about her proposed death, however,
Cassandra decides to face her fate and bids the chorus farewell by saying that ‘There is no Time,
my friends. No escape and no time left.’ Cassandra proceeds to meet her death; indicating the
inevitability of fate.

“And misfortune? It is like a wet sponge which but with a short dash, wipes
clean the whole picture of the man”. Agamemnon is not aware of the evil that will befall him, he
dashes to the bathroom to take his last bath( for a king must not arrive among gods unkempt), and
there comes the misfortune that wipes cleans the whole picture of him, his wife, Clytaemestra!
Clytaemestra enters the bathroom, covers Agamemnon with a net, and gives him a huge life-taking
blow with a long robe, Agamemnon cries for help but the elders are hapless and indecisive.
Clytaemestra proceeds to give Cassandra her dues, a huge life-taking blow.
The stage opens to reveal what Clytaemestra has done, Clytaemestra appears to be
dripping in blood and feeling happy for a well-done job (revealing the death of Agamemnon and
Cassandra). At this end, the inevitability of retribution surfaces on a golden platter, Clytaemestra
claims that she has been invoked by Zeus to effect justice by taking revenge for the killing of her
daughter, however, it seems that it is more than the death of her daughter because it happens that
Clytaemestra is a secret wife to Aegisthus, son of Thyestes, who has planned and used Clytaemestra
to achieve his heart desires without staining his hands.
Aegisthus wipes off Agamemnon as revenge for the killing of his brothers and his
selfish interest to be the next king of Argos as Orestes, the son of Agamemnon, has been on the run
since the beginning of the war. However, the elders won't want a murderer to rule them, they pray
for the return of Orestes. To the killer of their dear king, the chorus will determine her fate.
From a metaphorical level of interpretation, the play illustrates the relationship
between actions and consequences, and that man must take responsibility for his actions. We,
humans, should be wary of our actions in life and the consequences of our actions, as actions can
institute retribution that may span for generations; for the sins of a father, sometimes, are attributed
to the sons.

THEMES

Agamemnon is a Greek tragedy that explains various themes that are important to the ancient
and modern-day culture and which continue to be relevant today. Aeschylus through his work
foregrounds some major characteristics of the Greek tragedy convention. Indispensable themes in
the play are highlighted and explained below:
One prominent theme which pervades the poem is the Role of gods in man’s destiny.
Aeschylus explains that humans are not the only ones responsible for determining their destiny and
fate. He presents the gods as powerful beings who intervene in the lives of mortals influencing their
actions and determining their fate whether directly or indirectly. As the play opens, we see a
watchman lamenting how he has been forced to keep watch (….I pray the gods to quit me of my
toils, to close the watch I keep…) for some years to give an update concerning his Lord (King of
Argive) who has been away at war with Troy’s army. He anticipates a light which was to signal
Agamemnon’s victory over Troy’s army. Hephaistos, regarded as the “god of fire” was expected
to send the bright light which would ultimately announce their victory (“….the great god of fire
himself, Hephaistos! He has sent a bright light from Mount Ida, in Troy…”). It is also believed
that “Apollo”, a god, was responsible for what befalls men and not just their actions. This is evident
in the words of the Herald who says (“..except Apollo who nurtures the whole earth”)
Similarly, the Trojan War which was the major event in the play was also indirectly
orchestrated by the goddesses; Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite who had asked Paris to choose which
was the most beautiful of the three. This explains that the gods even manifest physically to intervene
and intrude on human actions. Another instance that also depicts the gods as forces that impose
their will on human decisions is the sacrifice of Iphigenia which Agamemnon had to make to
Artemis who had sent a storm to prevent the Greek army from sailing to Troy. On Agamemnon’s
return from the war, he also alludes to the victory of the gods (“…it is right and proper that I
should greet Argos and all the gods who inhabit this land and who have helped me through…..”).
The elders of Argive who make up the chorus on hearing the news of victory also proceeded to
Zeus’ altar to offer prayer and sacrifice (….most revered Zeus and our beloved nighty….you who
gave us the great honour of victory).
At a metaphorical level of interpretation, Aeschylus presents to us that God (gods) has a role
to play in our lives which will ultimately determine our destiny coupled with our actions and that we
should never fail to acknowledge God in our victories.
Another thematic preoccupation noticeable in the play is INORDINATE AMBITION
which drives the actions of the major characters and which ultimately leads to their downfall.
Aeschylus portrays the consequences of unchecked ambition in AGAMEMNON through some
major characters. An ambition not curtailed will always lead to the downfall of one irrespective of
one’s position. Inordinate ambition entails that one is driven by Greed, desperation, and self-
centeredness. Agamemnon in the play is presented as a character who wants to capture a city that
has never been captured before. He is driven by his ambition clothed with desperation which leads
him into making decisions that would later bring him to his doom. This desperation is seen in
Agamemnon as he made the decision to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, for the sake of his military
campaign against Troy (“…Yet, there is a time in every enterprise, when a man is so desperate to
succeed that he is forced to make a desperate decision…) and also lines 236-240 (“..let it be
known that I am ready to make sacrifice…..to save my soldiers from destruction..). These lines
demonstrate Agamemnon’s intense desperation and self-centeredness as he does not consider what
would befall his daughter and family if he sacrifices Iphigenia, he is only concerned about his
victory.
At a metaphorical level of interpretation, the play explores AMBITION as an indispensable
tool for success and shows how desperation for a goal can get it for one but also explains that
ambition not checked and curtailed can lead to one’s ultimate destruction. The play serves as a
cautionary tale about the dangers of pursuing goals at other people’s expense.
Another prominent theme that is also evident in the play and which is deduced from the
actions of the characters is DECEIT. This involves some characters who dubiously devised means
to cause the fall of other characters while deceiving them. One such character was
CLYTAEMNESTRA who waited patiently for her husband to return from the war and prepares a
purple carpet for him to walk into the house ironically his death. She nudges him till he finally
consents to walk into the house and stabs him inside. She then demonstrates her remorselessness by
admitting that (“…how else could we under affection’s guise …entrap our enemies in a snare..”).
Additionally, we also discover through Clytaemnestra’s prophecy that Atreus, Agamemnon’s
father also deceived Thyestes, Aegisthus’ father, into eating a meal of his sons while pretending it
was meat. Another instance of deceit that leads to major events in the play is the sacrifice of
Iphigenia. After consultation with his advisors, Agamemnon discovers that the only way to sail
through the storm sent by Artemis is to sacrifice his daughter. He, therefore, resolves to deceive his
wife that he wants to get Iphigenia married to Achilles under the guise of killing her. This deceit of
his was discovered by Clytaemnestra and she desperately determined to execute him for the
sacrifice of their daughter and she eventually does.
Also, “Inherited guilt” is a notable theme in the play. This theme explores the consequences
of past actions on future generations, highlighting the destructive power of guilt and the cyclical
nature of revenge and fate. One of the characters affected by the “curse of inherited guilt” is
Agamemnon whose lineage is tainted by the sins of his ancestors, specifically the crimes committed
by his father, Atreus. Atreus’ act of cannibalism and betrayal sets in motion a chain of events that
hunts Agamemnon and his family. The chorus speaks of the curse that plagues the house of Atreus
saying, “A curse there is that flits on wings of night,/Blighting men’s souls with dead men’s
reek.” (lines 1-2). This curse is the result of the sins committed by the forefathers of Agamemnon
and it hangs over him like a dark cloud and eventually determines his fate.
The “curse of inherited guilt” reaches its climax when Clytaemnestra kills Agamemnon as an
act of revenge as she justifies her actions by invoking the past crimes of the house of Atreus and the
bloodshed it has cursed. Through the theme of Inherited guilt, Aeschylus grapples with the aged
long question of whether or not human beings are responsible for their fate or if they are influenced
by other forces but we see that Agamemnon himself was responsible for his decisions.
Overall, Aeschylus has been able to communicate some everlasting lessons through the
various themes which are pivotal in discussing the play. He emphasizes and reiterates that while
actions produce results, they also have consequences not just physical but also supernatural. The
play exemplifies a Greek tragedy that serves to produce catharsis in the audience and also
communicate lessons relatable to life.

SETTING

Agamemnon depicts the assassination of the title character by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her
lover. The play opens with a watchman standing on the roof of the palace of Agamemnon at Argos.
He explains that Clytaemestra has ordered him to keep a lookout each night for the light from a
series of beacon fires that will signal the long-awaited fall of Troy
The temporal setting of Agamemnon is dated (C.1250BCE) and the site destruction correlate with
Herodotus'dates for the Trojan War. The Trojan War was a legendary conflict between the early
Greeks and the people of Troy in Western Anatolia, dated by later Greek authors to the 12th or 13th
BCE.
The geographical setting of Agamemnon is set in different places among which are:
Argos: The play Agamemnon is set in Argos, a city in the Peloponnese, a large peninsula in the
south of mainland Greece. The Argive king Tantalus began the pattern of destruction of Argos after
insulting the gods by having his son Pelops eaten by them at his banquet. The sons of King Pelops
continued this when Atreus boiled the children of Thyestes and then exiled his brothers, continuing
this cycle of death and jealousy against the royal family of Argos.
Troy: Eastern Mediterranean city now known as Turkey. Troy was ruled by Priam and was
besieged for ten years during the Trojan War. The Greeks wanted to save Helena of Greece from
the Trojan prince Paris who kidnapped her. Troy was eventually defeated through deception and
the city burned to the ground.

Aulis: A small port town in mainland Greece north of Athens. An ancient temple site dedicated to
the goddess Artemis. The entire Greek fleet assembled at Aulis before sailing off to Troy. However,
Artemis was angry that the Greeks had killed a wild rabbit, demanding that the ships would not sail
from Aulis until Agamemnon's eldest daughter Iphigenia was sacrificed there. After this deed was
completed, the ships sailed from Aulis, as promised.

Sparta: A city in the Peloponnese, south of Argos. Sparta, ruled by Menelaus and his queen
Helen, fell into chaos after Menelaus kidnapped Helen while he was out of town after Paris, who
was visiting the royal palace from Troy. Menelaus demanded the return of his wife and appealed to
his brother Agamemnon to raise an army and attack Troy.
Form:

The play Agamemnon is one of the plays that emanate from the Aeschylus trilogy that is titled
Oresteia. Being the first play in the trilogy, it is followed by The Libation Bearers also known as
Choephoroi while the last play is titled Euminedes. All these plays are seen as a writing/action that
follows the precept of broken drama even though written by a single author. Furthermore, a trilogy
is also a separate play that serves as a means of an episodic act that tends to hoist the flag of
continuation through another play. Also, a trilogy, it is a series of drama in literary or musical
composition that each has a sense of completeness, possesses a close mutual relation, and form one
theme or developed aspect of one basic concept. However, the term trilogy is originally referred to
as a group of tragedies written by one author for competition's sake in the festival arena.
Agamemnon as a trilogy falls under the category or genre of Literature which is a tragedy and
being a tragedy, there is always an expected end filled with sadness. However, despite the tragic
dispositions in the play, in my perspective and general view, this selected play lacked a resolution
even though it has an anti-climax. The tragic happenings in the play are primarily to complement a
secluded definition of a trilogy that links it up to the definition of tragedy according to Aristotle and
basically in the classical Greek tradition.
The Language of the play was formally written in Greek before it was translated into English and it
as well embodies symbolism in other to back the creative perspective of their epoch. Aeschylus uses
concrete imagery to create the play and it is depicted to be effective with the phenomenon it gained
at the time of its invention and festive action.

Language and Style of Agamemnon.

The play, Agamemnon was written by one of the greatest Greek tragedians ever lived on earth
known as Aeschylus. He was most popular and influential with tragedies hence, the play
Agamemnon is one of his many tragedies.
Initially written in Greek, it took a poetic form. By saying poetic, it means it was written in verses.
Later when it was translated, it was translated using Old English. The translation used put the
dialogue in prose and the chorus into verse.
Technically, Agamemnon being a play does not have just one narration. The play makes use of
different points of view. Instead of hearing about the characters' actions, we see them in the act.
They also talk about themselves making use of first-person narration.
When they talk about each other, they either act as second-person narrators or third-person
narrators. The most notable of the narration is the third person narration used by the Chorus when
recounting Agamemnon's experiences with the Trojan War.
On the metaphorical level, Agamemnon is described by the Chorus as the "bridle-bit" when he set
out to war against the Trojans. A bridle-bit is a metal around a horse's mouth used to control its
movement. Similarly, the Trojans are the horse which Agamemnon has set out to wage war against.
Then the god (Zeus) is the horse rider who uses Agamemnon as a human instrument that is the
"bridle-bit" to curtail the excess of the horse which is the Trojans.
The play, Agamemnon is also hard to grasp and not easily understood because in implying one
thing, it is implying lots of things when critically analyzed. Such is subtle and extravagant.
Furthermore, the language and style used in the play are characteristic of ancient Greek tragedy, and
it exhibits the following features:

Poetic Language: Agamemnon is written in a poetic language, known as dactylic hexameter. The
dialogue is composed of rhythmic lines, with each line consisting of six dactyls or stressed syllables.
The language is elevated and ornate, and the poetic form adds to the drama and intensity of the play.

Use of Chorus: The chorus is an integral part of Greek tragedy, and it serves to comment on the
events of the play and provide a moral and ethical perspective. In Agamemnon, the chorus is made
up of elderly Argive men and women, who provide insight into the themes of the play and offer
advice to the characters.

Characterization: Aeschylus uses characterization to create complex and multi-dimensional

characters. The characters are not one-dimensional, but rather they have flaws and virtues that make
them relatable and human. For example, Agamemnon is portrayed as a brave warrior, but he is also
arrogant and rash, which ultimately leads to his downfall.

Use of Metaphors and Imagery: Aeschylus employs metaphors and vivid imagery to evoke
emotions and create a sense of atmosphere in the play. For instance, the imagery of the "black
ships" and the "wine-dark sea" conjures up the sense of the vastness and darkness of the ocean and
the journey that the Greek ships have undertaken to reach Troy.

Irony and Foreshadowing: Agamemnon is full of irony and foreshadowing, which adds to the
dramatic tension and anticipation in the play. The chorus often hints at what is to come, and the
audience is left to interpret these hints and anticipate the events that will unfold.

In conclusion, the language and style of Agamemnon are characteristic of Greek tragedy, with its
poetic language, use of chorus, complex characterization, metaphors and imagery, and use of irony
and foreshadowing. These elements combine to create a powerful and enduring work of literature
that continues to captivate audiences today.

Characters of Agamemnon
A character is a person, animal, being, creature, or thing in a story. Writers use characters to
perform and share dialogue, moving the long line A play can have only one character (protagonist)
and still be a complete story. This character’s conflict may be an inner one (within him/herself), or a
conflict with something natural. Most stories have multiple characters interacting, with one of them
as the antagonist, causing a conflict for the protagonist. These characters are tools used by a writer
(specifically a playwright in a case of a drama text) to pass across his messages in a plot sequence.
In Agamemnon, Aeschylus uses certain characters as tools to tell the story of his plot, passing his
message to the audience. Each one of these characters has the distinct roles they play to achieve this
aim. The characters created and implemented by Aeschylus are as follows;
Agamemnon
The titular king of Argos, Agamemnon is the tragic hero of the play that shares his name,
Agamemnon, and the commander of the Greek armies during the siege of Troy. Agamemnon is the
older brother of Menelaus, whose wife, Helen was stolen by a Trojan prince, thus igniting a decade-
long war.
A great warrior, he sacrifices his daughter, Iphigenia to obtain a favorable wind to carry the Greek
fleet to Troy. We are shown that while he is proud of his accomplishments, he is less admired by his
subjects for fighting an unpopular, costly war.
He is portrayed as less intelligent and less forward-thinking than his wife, believing prosperity will
shield him from his misfortune. Agamemnon attempts humility, saying he does not want to be
treated like a god, but like other Greek tragic figures, he is fatally flawed by Hubris. During the ten-
year conflict, his Queen has plotted his death to avenge their daughter’s killing. He appears on stage
only briefly and behaves arrogantly. He goes to his death unaware of his fate.

Clytemnestra
Wife of Agamemnon and Queen of Argos, Clytemnestra is another key character in Agamemnon.
She has ruled Argos in the absence of Agamemnon. Driven by the desire for vengeance and power,
the shrewd audacious Clytemnestra is the play's most developed and complex character. She plans
his murder with ruthless determination, and feels no guilt after his death; she is convinced of her
rectitude and the justice of killing the man who kills her daughter. She professes loyalty to
Agamemnon and praises him at the same plots of his assassination.
She is a sympathetic character in many respects, but the righteousness of her crimes is tainted by her
entanglement with Aegisthus. She is also portrayed as argumentative, defending her thoughts and
opinions to the chorus when they disagree with her.

Cassandra
Cassandra, a Trojan priestess and Agamemnon's war captive is a character emotional and distraught
by the destruction of her homeland. She is carried to Argos to become Agamemnon’s slave and
mistress. As a former lover of Apollo, she is given the gift of prophecy by him. She can see
accurately the past, present, and future. However, after Cassandra refused him sex, Apollo curses
her so no one will believe her prophecies. She dramatically and graphically foretells Agamemnon's
and her predicament, foretelling the ancestral curse of death placed on him as well as on her - as
well as the prophecy of doom when vengeance brought by Orestes comes into fruition in the next
play.

Aegisthus
Aegisthus is a Justice and cousin of Agamemnon. His father and Agamemnon’s father were rivals
for the throne at their time. Agamemnon’s father boiled two of his rival’s children – Aegisthus’
brothers – and served them to him as dinner. Aesgisthus has been living in exile and like his lover,
Clytemnestra, he wants power and revenge and is led to murder by the need to avenge the wrong
done to his family. His manner is authoritative and menacing. He wants to implement a strong,
controlling government threatening to enslave those who disagree with him, including the chorus.

Chorus
The chorus also functions as (a) character(s). As the elder citizens of Argos, they are too old to fight
the Trojan War. They serve as advisors to Queen Clytemnestra during Agamemnon’s absence, and
provide commentary on the action of the play, for they foreshadow the King’s death when they
describe the events of the Trojan War and discuss the dangers of human pride.
Because the chorus represents the people of the city of Argus, they have vested interests in the
actions and may make more pronouncements based on the characters' decisions. Aeschylus gives
chorus members opinions and sympathies and occasionally individual lines, though with no impact
on the outcome of the drama.
The chorus is loyal to Agamemnon, their city’s leader but disagrees with his decision to go to war.
They also ardently, and patriotically support their troupes. Agamemnon's death deeply affects the
chorus.

The Watchman
The man assigned to watch for the signal of Troy’s fall from the roof of the palace. He is joyful at
his King’s return, but also is gripped with a sense of foreboding.

The Herald
The Herald brings the Chorus news of Agamemnon’s safe homecoming. An ardent patriot, he is
ecstatic to see the home he thinks he has left forever and provides a vivid description of the horrors
of the wars against Troy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aeschylus, who was born in 525 B.C. in Athens is one of the major three dramatists of the Old
Greek period. His influence on the development of tragedy is prominent which is why he is referred
to as the father of tragedy. Aeschylus was young when he began to write tragedy and also he was
responsible for several important innovations that influenced the development of drama. The most
important of this was the introduction of a second actor, initially, there had been one actor, and the
chorus before his time.
Aeschylus' trilogy, the Oresteia is considered his greatest work and perhaps, the greatest Greek
tragedy.