Topic > Multiple Perspectives in Aeschylus's "Agamemnon"

The play Agamemnon involves a variety of characters who introduce and contribute to some of the play's major themes, such as justice and revenge. While the opera is dominated by Clytemnestra and the Chorus, we are introduced to different corners of the story by minor characters, such as Cassandra and the Herald. The diversity of characters plays an important role in Aeschylus' drama, as they provide the audience with multiple perspectives on the central concepts of the plot. With the introduction of each new character, new ideas are born, leaving the audience with the knowledge that the characters have different opinions or knowledge about the events that take place during the show. The show is devoid of on-stage action, but maintains audience interest by allowing audience members to interpret each character's opinions. The difference in perspectives adds depth to each character and dramatic interest to the work, as well as complexity and variety to the dominant themes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Early in the game, we learn that there is a difference in the characters' beliefs regarding justice and revenge. When Iphigenia's sacrifice is discussed, we can see that there is a difference in perspectives between Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, providing the audience with great insight into the nature of both characters. Agamemnon believes that the sacrifice was performed as an act of justice, but Clytemnestra refuses to agree. Agamemnon committed the act to appease the nature god, Artemis, who bore a "grudge" after the Danaan army killed a hare. After killing the animal, the army faces strong winds, which interrupt their journey to the city of Troy. Therefore, Iphigenia was sacrificed to appease the god. The dispute over whether this was an acceptable act is between Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, barely including Cassandra. In the play we see that Agamemnon put duty before family. He describes that his heart would be "heavy", whether or not he kills his daughter, but ultimately felt that he could not be a "traitor" to his fleet. His act was done in the name of justice, but at the same time it follows the common Greek belief that "learning comes through suffering." Using this ideology, we can tell how Agamemnon felt that the suffering he would face, for sacrificing his daughter, would allow him to repent of the sin of upsetting Artemis. In contrast, Clytemnestra believes that the murder was an act of murder, not a sacrificial procedure. He states that Iphigenia "did not deserve" to be betrayed. Clytemnestra especially expresses her lack of agreement when she states that it is Agamemnon who deserves to suffer, for being willing to commit the act. Here, the difference between the characters' perspectives is evident. Furthermore, Cassandra adds a very interesting perspective to the work by introducing the theme of family and connecting this theme to issues of justice. He claims that Clytemnestra "shares" Agamemnon's guilt for her murder, as she herself commits murder against a family member: her husband. Cassandra's role ironically demonstrates an idea that the Greeks believed: “Revealed to that man's descendants / Is the price of recklessness.” The correlation between this belief and Cassandra's statement shows the way evil acts can affect the entire family. This idea closely follows the theme of revenge in the play, for example, as seen in the murder of Thyestes' sons. Iphigenia's sacrifice allowed Clytemnestra to believe she had to act against ither husband. Each event affects the family as a whole. Cassandra emphasizes this idea by prophesying that Agamemnon's son will seek revenge. Cassandra makes the audience understand that revenge and family are closely linked. With all the different perspectives presented here regarding Iphigenia's death, the audience must decide which character to support. The disagreement also touches on the difference between social classes. Throughout the play, the audience is exposed to the different morals of royalty and common people, and this divergence adds to the dramatic intensity of the play. We can also see a difference in perspectives on the topic of justice later in the play, when the Chorus speculates whether Clytemnestra's act of murder occurred in the name of her daughter or for power. The Queen believes that the murder brought justice to her daughter, and was therefore a necessary act, but the Chorus disagrees. After the queen confesses her crime, they believe her "mind is deranged" and cry for their king. They are shocked by Clytemnestra's actions, but also believe that Agamemnon's death will bring justice for Thyestes' sons, who died at the hands of Agamemnon's father. This realization surprises the audience, as they may only be interested in bringing justice to Iphigenia. The Chorus recognizes that although Clytemnestra's actions were shocking and deserved punishment, they balanced the "scales of justice" for another incident. The personification of justice in the phrase "Justice tilts against those who must learn / Suffering" allows the audience to visualize a scale with justice and suffering on opposite sides. If we compare this with the Chorus' opinion, we can assume that the Chorus believes that Clytemnestra balanced the scales of justice - through Agamemnon's suffering, the children killed by Atreus were avenged. On the other hand, the Chorus also suggests that the suffering is not over and that the Queen still has to pay for her mistakes. At this point it is clear that Clytemnestra does not care about the words of the elders of Argos, as she feels she has done her duty. Here, the difference in perspectives gives us insight into the characters' beliefs and Greek culture. In the work, Cassandra not only reiterates the theme of revenge, repeating events that have already occurred, but also foreshadows the revenge that is yet to come. Come. In her brief appearance on stage, Cassandra recalls all the events that happened in the name of justice and revenge, from Helen's kidnapping to her own death. He claims to be aware of the "age-old wrongdoings" that have taken place in the castle, reminding the audience that revenge and justice have taken their toll on multiple characters. Before her death, Cassandra prophesied that someone will come to Argos and "seal these murders" in the name of family, once again focusing on the relationship between vengeance and family lines. This hint is intriguing and ambiguous to the audience, turning their attention to who will return and what actions they will take. Through multiple characters, the audience is exposed to different forms of justice, such as that meted out by the gods. The different forms add variety to the theme of justice. Cassandra's character tells the Chorus that she possessed the gift of prophecy before deceiving Apollo. He then explains that after his "offense", the god made sure that people no longer believed his prophecies. So, we see that Cassandra believes the curse was a punishment for her actions – an act of revenge or justice. Since the gods hold the highest positions of power, it is only right that they punish those who deceive them. The Chorus also participates in communicating this message, often turning to the god Zeus to make decisions. This mentality is clear.