What does Clytemnestra symbolize?
Clytemnestra’s Man-Axe Symbol Analysis The man-axe thus represents Clytemnestra’s “man-killing” qualities: those which allow her to avenge her daughter and seize power over Argos, but which also condemn her in the eyes of the Greeks and lead to her ultimate downfall.
What does Clytemnestra mean in Greek?
Meaning & History Latinized form of Greek Κλυταιμνήστρα (Klytaimnestra), from κλυτός (klytos) meaning “famous, noble” and μνηστήρ (mnester) meaning “courter, wooer”. In Greek legend Clytemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon and the mother of Orestes and Electra.
What is Clytemnestra known for?
Clytemnestra is one of the main characters in Aeschylus’s Oresteia, and is central to the plot of all three parts. She murders Agamemnon in the first play, and is murdered herself in the second. Her death then leads to the trial of Orestes by a jury composed of Athena and 12 Athenians in the final play.
What did Clytemnestra dream?
Early in the play, we learn that Clytemnestra has had a dream that she gave birth to a snake only to have it maul her. Orestes explains to us that the snake represents him, and that he will need to use deception and violence against his mother in order to avenge his father’s murder.
How does Clytemnestra justified her revenge?
No matter the order in which the motives are listed, it is generally agreed upon that revenge, jealousy, and to further the curse are the three reasons for Clytemnestra’s actions, although Aeschylus seems to make it very clear that he believes she is motivated by motherly grief in his beginning description of …
Is Clytemnestra a tragic hero?
Two of the most famous Greek tragic heroes (heroines) were Medea and Clytemnestra. They share characteristics Aristotle deemed essential for the heroic character in a tragedy. Clytemnestra is obsessed by the desire for vengeance over the death of her daughter at the hands of her husband, Agamemnon.
Why is Clytemnestra important to Greek mythology?
Clytemnestra, in Greek legend, a daughter of Leda and Tyndareus and wife of Agamemnon, commander of the Greek forces in the Trojan War. Clytemnestra was then killed by her son, Orestes, with the help of his sister Electra, in revenge for his father’s murder.
What is Clytemnestra The Queen of?
Clytemnestra Queen of Mycenae By marrying Agamemnon, Clytemnestra would become Queen of Mycenae, for Tyndareus and his Spartan army aided Agamemnon and Menelaus in forcing Thyestes off of the throne of Mycenae, in whose place Agamemnon became king.
How does Clytemnestra react to Orestes death?
Clytemnestra’s response to the news of Orestes’ death is also unsettling. She prays that Orestes might never return to disrupt her life, but her reaction to his death is not one of unqualified delight.
Why does Clytemnestra kill Agamemnon?
Another reason for the murder of Agamemnon is Clytaemnestra’s love for Aegisthus. Although Aegisthus is a weak character in the play, his presence is often felt. For instance, when Agamemnon returns from Troy, Clytaemnestra mentions in her speech how terrible her loneliness is, that it is “unconscionable”.
Who is Agamemnon in the Iliad?
King Agamemnon is a mythological character from Greek legend, most famously appearing in Homer ‘s “The Illiad,” but also found in other source material from Greek mythology . In the legend, he is the King of Mycenae and the leader of the Greek army in the Trojan War .
What is Agamemnon about?
Agamemnon, in Greek legend, king of Mycenae or Argos. He was the son (or grandson) of Atreus , king of Mycenae, and his wife Aërope and was the brother of Menelaus . After Atreus was murdered by his nephew Aegisthus (son of Thyestes ), Agamemnon and Menelaus took refuge with Tyndareus , king of Sparta, whose daughters,…