Agamemnon

Drama | Aeschylus

Sketch the Character of Clytemnestra

Premium

Sketch the character of Clytemnestra Clytemnestra is the most powerful and striking character in Aeschylus s c BCE tragedy Agamemnon BCE She is the queen of Argos and the wife of King Agamemnon During her husband s long absence in the Trojan War she rules the kingdom alone In the play she appears as a woman of strong will sharp intelligence deep anger and hidden cruelty Her character is shaped by pain revenge and ambition Through Clytemnestra Aeschylus shows how revenge can destroy family and peace A Strong and Intelligent Queen Clytemnestra is shown as a very strong and intelligent woman While Agamemnon is away at war for ten years she rules Argos confidently She is not weak or silent like ordinary Greek women She speaks boldly and thinks clearly When the Chorus doubts her news about the fall of Troy she explains the system of signal fires used to

pass the message quickly This shows her sharp mind and planning power Even the Chorus praises her O Woman like a man faithful and wise Clytemnestra proves that she is capable of leadership and control A Woman of Revenge The strongest part of Clytemnestra s character is her desire for revenge She never forgets that Agamemnon sacrificed their daughter Iphigenia to please the goddess Artemis This cruel act breaks her heart forever From that moment she waits for the chance to punish her husband For her Agamemnon is not a hero returning from war but a murderer of her child She says New blood spurts out before the old wound heals This line shows her revengeful attitude She means that she will never forgive her husband s crime She plans his death slowly and patiently Cunning and Deceptive Nature Clytemnestra is very clever and deceptive She hides her true feelings under sweet words When Agamemnon returns home she welcomes him warmly She speaks like a loving wife She praises him and pretends to honor him She even persuades him to walk on the purple red carpet which is a sign of pride and a sin against the gods Agamemnon hesitates at first but her loving talk makes him walk on the carpet Clytemnestra says There is the sea Who will drain it dry It means nothing can end Agamemnon s good fortune Behind this loving behavior she is already planning his murder This shows her skill in deception and manipulation A Ruthless Woman Clytemnestra is not afraid of bloodshed She kills Agamemnon herself She traps him with a net in the bathtub and stabs him to death After the murder she does not feel shame or fear Instead she proudly declares what she has done My moment s come at last I stand now where I struck She believes her act is justified This shows her cruelty and cold-hearted nature She acts more like a warrior than a traditional woman Her violence shocks the Chorus and the audience Defying Gender Roles In ancient Greek society women were expected to be quiet and obedient Clytemnestra completely breaks these rules She rules a kingdom plans a murder and speaks openly in public The Chorus often criticizes her for behaving like a man But she does not care about their opinions She proves that women can be powerful dangerous and decisive Complex Morality While Clytemnestra s desire for revenge is understandable her morality is ambiguous On one hand she seeks justice for her daughter s death On the other hand she has an affair with Aegisthus who is Agamemnon s cousin and enemy Her affair corrupts her motive She proudly stands beside Aegisthus after the murder and rules Argos with him In conclusion Clytemnestra is a complex character made of strength intelligence pain revenge and infidelity She is a loving mother a clever ruler a deceptive wife and a ruthless murderer Through Clytemnestra Aeschylus shows that revenge never brings peace Instead it continues the cycle of bloodshed and tragedy

Continue Reading

Sign in and subscribe to unlock the full content