his hubris- excessive pride In Greek tragedies hubris often leads to a character s downfall and Agamemnon is no exception Despite his attempts to appear humble he ultimately succumbs to arrogance This is evident when he agrees to walk on the purple tapestries that Clytemnestra lays out for him Initially he resists recognizing that such a display could be seen as an insult to the gods who dislike arrogance Agamemnon says For a mortal man to place his foot like this on rich embroidery is in my view not without some risk So I m telling you honour me as a man not as a god Yet Clytemnestra s persuasion leads him to commit this act of hubris which signals his disrespect for divine authority The Role of Fate In Greek tragedy fate plays a significant role and Agamemnon s life is no exception He is a member of the cursed House of Atreus which has been plagued by violence and revenge for generations Agamemnon s father Atreus had once killed the children of his brother Thyestes and served them as food As a result the House of Atreus is cursed Clytemnestra develops an affair with Aegisthus who is Agamemnon s cousin and Thyestes son She plots with Aegisthus and kills Agamemnon which serves double revenge- Clytemnestra s revenge for her daughter Iphigenia and Ageisthus revenge on the House of Atreus Agamemnon demise can be seen as predestined because the House of Atrus is crushed to meet their doom inevitably Cassandra s prophecy even foretells the upcoming events emphasizing the powerful role of fate - Another man will come and will avenge us a son who'll kill his mother then pay back his father's death Catharsis One of the essential purposes of Greek tragedy is to evoke catharsis which is the purging cleansing of emotions such as pity and fear in the audience In Agamemnon the audience feels pity for Agamemnon because despite his flaws he is caught in a web of fate The Chorus expresses the sorrow and grief that accompany the tragic events Sing out the song of sorrow song of grief but let the good prevail The audience also experiences fear because Agamemnon s story is a reminder of how easily power and pride can lead to ruin His fall is not only the result of his own decisions but also the outcome of forces beyond his control such as the curse on his family and the wrath of the gods Agamemnon is a classic example of a tragic hero in Greek literature His noble status tragic flaw of hubris and the role of fate combine to bring about his downfall Through his story Aeschylus explores the themes of pride fate and the consequences of human actions making Agamemnon a timeless Greek tragedy