Agamemnon

Agamemnon is a Greek tragedy written by Aeschylus one of the most famous playwrights of ancient Greece. It was first performed in Athens in 458 BC as part of a trilogy of plays called the Oresteia which also includes the plays The Libation Bearers and The Eumenides. The play is set after the Trojan War and follows the story of Agamemnon the king of Mycenae and his family. Agamemnon returns home after ten years of war in Troy accompanied by his concubine Cassandra a Trojan princess who has been cursed with the gift of prophecy. Agamemnons wife Clytemnestra has been waiting for his return and she has plans to exact revenge on him for sacrificing their daughter Iphigenia to the gods before he left for war. As the play unfolds Clytemnestras plot against Agamemnon is revealed and she ultimately kills him and Cassandra. The play ends with Clytemnestra justifying her actions and facing the wrath of their son Orestes who is bound by duty to avenge his fathers death. Agamemnon is known for its powerful use of language particularly its choral odes which comment on the action of the play and offer insights into its themes. The play explores themes of justice revenge and the consequences of actions as well as the complexities of family relationships and the roles of men and women in ancient Greek society.