The Eumenides

The Eumenides is a play by the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus and it is the third and final play in his trilogy The Oresteia. The play was first performed in Athens in 458 BC and it is considered one of the great masterpieces of Greek tragedy. The Eumenides tells the story of Orestes son of Agamemnon who killed his mother Clytemnestra to avenge his fathers murder. Orestes is pursued by the Furies ancient goddesses of revenge who seek to punish him for his crime. However with the help of Apollo and the goddess Athena Orestes is able to plead his case and is ultimately acquitted. The play explores themes of justice vengeance and the conflict between the old ways of the gods and the emerging order of the Olympian gods. It is notable for its complex characters poetic language and its depiction of the transition from a primitive system of justice based on blood vengeance to a more civilized system of law and order. The Eumenides is also significant for its portrayal of women particularly the Furies who are given a more sympathetic treatment than in previous works of literature. The play has been highly influential in Western literature and has been adapted and reinterpreted in various forms over the centuries.