Fredricksmeyer
Masterpieces of Greek Literature
Aeschylus. Agamemnon
Aeschylus 524—456 (supposed death by concussion)
from wealthy Eleusinian family
ca. 90 tragedies of which we have 7 relatively complete, and fragments of others
proudest of his own patriotism—epitaph: “I fought at Marathon” (Greeks as
political animals/non-political = idios)
innovations—
added second actor (and then third under influence of Sophocles, as in the
Oresteia)
diminished role of chorus (12 members)
increased importance of dialogue
probably invented trilogy
typical features include—
highly dramatic vs. narrative—not what people do, but how they do it
tragedy of tension—long crescendo followed by swift and often brutal
denouement
intense interest in crime and punishment (and the workings of divine
will and justice)
frequent use of “double motivation”
frequent use of “overdetermination”
elevated style (satirized in Aristophanes)
Agamemnon 458
Diachronic Reading of prologue through line 111 of parodos*, which introduce and begin to
develop the trilogy’s central themes, imagery, and so on:
prologue (1-43)
dramatic tension
improper running of oikos
dog simile
light/dark
male/female (light = Ag/dark = Klyt.)
male/female (guard/Klytemnestra)
reversal-she’s like a man
dramatic tension
improper running of oikos
just/unjust
light/dark
dramatic tension
House of Atreus/Curse
improper cuisine
inherited guilt (cycle of violence)
44-111 of parodos
legal terminology
justice of Trojan war
Zeus’ will
yoke
bird imageryethical conflicts
Fury
importance of xenia
male/female
polis (public dispute)/oikos (private dispute)
proper/improper sacrifice
Fate
Fury
male/female
proper/improper sacrifice
tension
Synchronic Reading of 112-end according to categories introduced in 1-111:
dramatic tension
yoke/net/robe/bridle
male/female
light/dark
just/unjust
improper running of oikos
improper exercise of political power
gender-role reversal—tapestry scene; vis-a-vis Aegisthus
duplicity—lying to and feigning loyalty to Agamemnon
dog imagery marks the latter—“watch-dog” vs. “hell-hound” 1
improper sacrifice
murder of Agamemnon
anticipated by images of yoke/net/robe/bridle
anticipated by and marked as an improper sacrifice
yet Agamemnon in some ways unjust, or at least involved in ethical conflicts—
improper sacrifice of Iphigenia
culinary imagery, marked by
bird imagery
sacrificial imagery
overkill at Troy
culinary imagery
bird imagery
polis/oikos—Ag makes private dispute public
tapestry
polygamy
causation (Agamemnon’s death “overdetermined”)
I. divine will
Zeus (xenios)
legal terminology
bird imagery—eagles
Artemis (protectress of young things/huntress)
Atê
Peitho
Furies
culinary imagery
bird imagery
II.
Fate
III.
human will
Agamemnon desires—
Trojan War
polygamy
Klytemnestra avenges—
improper sacrifice of Iphigenia, marked by
bird imagery
sacrificial imagery
Agamemnon’s polygamy
Aegisthus—
avenges crimes against his family
seeks political power
*basic scenes into which tragedies divided:
I.
prologue
II.
parodos
III.
episode 1 (or kommos)
IV.
stasimon 1 (or kommos)
strophe-antistrophe-strophe-antistrophe-etc.
episode 2
stasimon 2
etc.
IV.
exodos