The Agamemnon of Aeschylus Essay - 1507 Words

The Agamemnon of Aeschylus Prologue: The Watchman on the roof of the Palace of Agamemnon at Mycenae presents the facts. He has been watching a year for the fire signal that will announce Troys capture, and all is not well within the house. He sees the beacon at last and will tell Clytemnestra, Agamemnons wife. He rejoices at the news for it means his master will be coming home. Parodos or Entry of the Choros, who are Elders of Argos, counsellors to the Queen Regent. They chant about the expedition against Troy. The sons of Atreus (Agamemnon and Menelaus) are seen as birds whose nest has been robbed by the stealing of Helen. Par is who stole her thereby offended against Zeus, the God of the host and guest. With legal images the†¦show more content†¦When Agamemnon decided to sacrifice her the choros thought him wrong. She did not die willingly but had to be gagged -ominous in a sacrifice, so that it would bring a curse. Episode 1: Clytemnestra enters; when the choros leader asks the news she tells them that Troy is taken. They do not at first believe her, thinking that it is a womans fancies and baseless. This annoys her and in a brilliant speech she details the beacon chain that brought the news to Argos. She then imagines sympathetically what is now going on in Troy and warns the absent Greeks to be respectful of the gods since they still have to get home safely, and if they have annoyed the gods they will be accursed. 2nd Stasimon (stasimon = choral ode) The choros thank Zeus for the victory and see its justice upon the transgression of Paris and Troy. They then speak of the ruin Helen brought on Greece: the desolation of Menelaus in his empty house, and the many dead men of Argos whose death may bring a curse to the city. 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