Essays Tagged: "Orestes"
Justice in the Orestia. A look at the contrasting views of justice in Greece, and the transition to a deliberative for of justice.
d new orders, the lives of the members of the House of Atreus, and the serious moral questions that Orestes' crime presents.The case against Orestes is strong. The son admits to striking down his moth ... one who bore me, I won't deny it, killed her in revenge.' (Eumenides lines 476-478) This shows that Orestes was fully aware of the act he was committing, that he willfully committed it, and that he mu ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies
The Death Penalty
death. And by so doing they stopped that endless vicious cycle of murder and revenge.' (Euripedes, Orestes 408 B.C.) By 1500 in England only major felonies carried the death penalty. Reform of the de ...
Subjects: Law & Government Essays > Law
Progression of Light in Aeschylus' Oresteia
om darkness to light can initially be seen in the second play of the trilogy, The Libation Bearers. Orestes is the embodiment of this light, a beacon signalling a possible end in the evil that has inf ... beacon signalling a possible end in the evil that has infected the house of Atreus. It is true that Orestes, in revenge for Agamemnon, kills his mother Clytaemestra. Yet the darkness that is expected ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies > Greek Language & Literature
An Examination of Clytaemnestra as a Tragic Victim of the Oresteia.
tie was more heinous a crime that the oath tie shared by Clytaemnestra and Agamemnon; however, when Orestes' later slays his mother he is also in violation of the oath tie as the Athenian premise is t ... henian premise is that only the father is the true parent. Why then is Clytaemnestra vilified while Orestes is considered a hero garnering sympathy and support from the audience? In determining whethe ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies > Mythology
Greek Mythology is clearly explored in Homer's "The Odyssey."
ysseus and how he came to be in the situation he is in.Throughout the first four books the story of Orestes' revenge is discussed to Telemachus in every step of his journey. Before his journey was eve ... heir prophecy is fulfilled. With Nestor, he too discusses the tale and glorifies the strong will of Orestes. More importantly he states to Telemachus: "And you, my friend- how tall and handsome I see ...
Subjects: Literature Research Papers
The Oresteia: "Euminides."
quotation spoken by the god of prophecy, Apollo, he admits that he is in some way forced to protect Orestes just as the Chorus of Furies is in some way forced to hunt him as well as all other who comm ... ore that even. Apollo pretty much states that his existence is to protect and assist humans such as Orestes as if it were his eternal fate. Unlike the Furies, he shows no real personal preference abou ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies > Greek Language & Literature
Orestes in Modern Drama: "Mourning Becomes Electra"
murder King Agamemnon and take hold of his throne.In the Choephori, the second play of the trilogy, Orestes, the third generation continues the dilemma and avenges his father, Agamemnon's murder by mu ... ling element in the present. The past is a prediction of the entire set and the dramatic destiny of Orestes.In the third play, the Eumenides, the cosmic powers engage in the action and hereditary bloo ...
Subjects: Literature Research Papers > North American
Clytaemnestra's Power In Agamemnon
all rights our child should be here." (Lines 864-866) While she is most likely talking about Orestes, it seems to be that these lines have meaning on several levels. Not only was she informing ... uts, she also seemed to mourn over the death of Iphigeneia. Further, she suggests that the exile of Orestes was her husband's fault, saying, "You risk all [for] the wars." (Line 872) It is in th ...
Subjects: Literature Research Papers
Power As A Theme In Aeschylus' Orestia
d Agamemnon to claim the throne for herself in The Agamemnon. Much like Agamemnon's distraught son, Orestes, who revenges his father's death in The Libation Bearers by killing Clytaemestra and Aegisth ... e Libation Bearers by killing Clytaemestra and Aegisthus. The desire for power, which Agamemnon and Orestes experienced, is a catalyst for tragedy. Power the most important component in any societies, ...
Subjects: Literature Research Papers
Points Of View
ereas Euripides tended to show his characters' shortcomings. An example of this is the character of Orestes. In The Libation Bearers, Orestes comes upon the scene and makes himself known to his sister ... ood shall drink/ for the third time a cupful of unwatered blood" (Libation Bearers, Lines 577-578). Orestes would have appealed to the Athenian populace because of his strength and his desire to aveng ...
Subjects: Literature Research Papers
The Orestia
cts of violent revenge, to therational and emotionless justice as administered by a court and jury. Orestes is representative of thistransition, slaughtering his mother and her lover in revenge and th ... it, creating a seemingly endless spiral ofmurder and revenge which finally stops with the trial of Orestes. Agamemnon is faced with a decision, eitherhe is to sacrifice his daughter Iphigeneia to app ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies > Greek Language & Literature
The concept of justice in the
to court his wife" (pg. 4). Aegisthus ignored the warning, killing Agamemnon and courting his wife. Orestes, Agamemnon's son, killed Aegisthus to avenge his father's death. The gods saw this as swift, ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies > Greek Language & Literature
Justice in Herodotus and Aesch
Orestes, the Furies, Croesus, and Cyrus - What do all these disparate characters have in common? The ... justified or not, calls out for vengeance. Revenge falls on the shoulders of the son of Agamemnon, Orestes. However, now the current system of justice begins to become inadequate. Is it justifiable t ... of justice begins to become inadequate. Is it justifiable to murder one's kin to avenge one's kin? Orestes is faced with this dilemma, one to which the current system of justice has no answer. ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies > Greek Language & Literature
Clytaemnestra
rs, by all rights our child should be here." (Lines 864-866) While she is most likely talking about Orestes, it seems to be that these lines have meaning on several levels. Not only was she informing ... uts, she also seemed to mourn over the death of Iphigeneia. Further, she suggests that the exile of Orestes was her husband's fault, saying, "You risk all [for] the wars." (Line 872) It is in these fe ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies > Greek Language & Literature
Why Is The Libation Bearers Called The Libation Be
ld also suggest that even though the Chorus are explicitly Libation Bearers, so too are Electra and Orestes. Both Electra and Orestes are going to try and avenge the death of their father. This will s ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies > Greek Language & Literature
Literary Analysis of the poem “Hymn to the Night”, by
s. She is as majestic and calm as the Night itself. In the last stanza the poet compares himself to Orestes ("Orestes-like I breathe this prayer"). This allusion to Greek mythology is very significant ... the this prayer"). This allusion to Greek mythology is very significant to the meaning of the poem. Orestes was the only son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, whose mother and her lover killed his father ...
Subjects: Literature Research Papers > European Literature > Poetry
Justice in the Oresteia
lay in the Oresteia, The Libation Bearers, tells the story of justice turning against Clytemnestra. Orestes, Agamemnons son, who had been sent away from Argos by his mother, has returned, ... endous power, his oracle charges me to see this trial through (191). In the eyes of the gods, Orestes killing Clytemnestra was very justified, because she had killed his father. However, Orestes ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies > Greek Language & Literature
Comparison of Sophocles' and Euripides' portrayal of humanity. Sophocles' is said to have portrayed men as they ought to be, while Euripides is said to have portrayed men "as they are"
h is much more typical of what someone in Electras position would do. Instead, she recognizes Orestes when the old man points out a scar on his head. Here Euripides uses realism which is very ty ... mmon man would do.Another example of Eurpides realism is in his play the Phrygian Slave, when Orestes went from becoming the captive to the captor, and was in control of the slaves fate. I ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Classical Studies > Greek Language & Literature
Aristotelian Tragedy: Clytemnestra’s Tragic Role in The Oresteia
purged, and the audience leaves the theater relieved, rather than depressed. Although Agamemnon and Orestes display qualities of tragic heroes as set out by Aristotle, through her man-like character a ... nstant companion, may you stand by my side forever" (Agamemnon 852-854). Equally, Aeschylus depicts Orestes as weak when he begs for mercy from Apollo: "Lord Apollo you know how not to be unjust&helli ...
Subjects: Humanities Essays > Philosophy