Dhaka International University

(Department of English)

Assignment

 Course title : Classics in Translation- II

 Course No : Eng- 208
 Assignment name : “Plot Construction, Character analysis
& Thematic Aspects of the Play
Agamemnon”

Submitted by Submitted to
Name: Akhlak Uzzaman Rahat Tahmina Sultana
(Assistant Professor)
Roll: 18

Batch: 39(A)
Plot Construction, Character analysis & Thematic Aspects
of the
Play Agamemnon

Plot Construction
In the Greek city of Argos on the roof of the royal palace, a watchman long and
impatiently awaits news of the outcome of the Trojan War, hoping the Argives (Greek
forces) have captured Troy. When he sees the signal fire indicating victory, the
Watchman rejoices and enters the palace to spread the news.
The Chorus, a group of Argive elders, comes onstage to speak collectively. They have
been hoping for victory for 10 years and ask the Argive queen, Clytaemnestra, for news.
The Chorus reveals the Argive prophet, Calchas, predicted the Argive victory and recalls
how the goddess Artemis forced Agamemnon, leader of the Argive forces, to sacrifice
his daughter Iphigenia so his troops could set sail.
Exiting from the palace, Clytaemnestra tells the Chorus the Argive armies have captured
Troy. The Chorus reflects on the destruction caused by Paris and Helen, whose
kidnapping started the war, and laments the damage and sorrow war causes. Individually
Chorus members discuss whether Clytaemnestra's news can be trusted.
A herald arrives to confirm Troy is captured. Clytaemnestra determines to give her
husband, Agamemnon, a hero's welcome home. The Chorus tells the story of Helen's
arrival in Troy, laments Troy's grief, and warns of doom for the violent.
Agamemnon returns with Cassandra, a prophetess from Troy and captured member of
the royal family, now his war prize. He praises the gods for saving him and says he will
work with the Chorus to establish a democracy. Seemingly worried about her husband,
Clytaemnestra greets Agamemnon and promises she has been faithful.
When Clytaemnestra lays out a purple carpet for Agamemnon to walk on, he protests,
saying the honor is fit only for a god, not a human. He and Clytaemnestra disagree about
this, but finally he walks across the carpet into his palace. The Chorus senses dread. They
worry something terrible will happen, and they know justice will be served.
Clytaemnestra and the Chorus urge Cassandra to enter the palace and take her place as
a slave. She refuses. Cassandra cries out in horror and claims she sees murder and
tragedy in the palace. She tells the Chorus her visions, which become more specific: a
woman, Clytaemnestra, will kill Agamemnon and Cassandra herself. The Chorus
members are confused and distressed, unsure whether to believe her. Distraught,
Cassandra enters the palace, knowing she, too, soon will die.
The Chorus begins to speak about the inevitability of fate, but screams from the palace
interrupt them. The Chorus members panic and scatter, debating whether Agamemnon
is dead and whether his killers will capture the city of Argos.
The palace doors open, revealing Clytaemnestra with blood on her hands. She has killed
Agamemnon and Cassandra. She claims Agamemnon's death was revenge for the
sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia. Because Cassandra was Agamemnon's lover,
Clytaemnestra killed her as well. When she tries to justify her actions, the Chorus argues
with her. The Chorus members grieve for the slain Agamemnon, but Clytaemnestra says
he brought his death on himself.
Aegisthus, Agamemnon's cousin, appears—he is Clytaemnestra's lover and assisted in
her plot. He is now content believing justice has been served for past crimes. Long ago
Aegisthus's father, Thyestes, was betrayed by Atreus, Agamemnon's father. As part of
their power struggle, Atreus tricked Thyestes into eating his own young children, then
banished him from the city. Taking Aegisthus with him, Thyestes left Argos and called
down a curse on the House of Atreus, ensuring its members would die violently.
Aegisthus tells angry Chorus members they now will have to serve him. They insult him
and say they are ready to die. They hope Orestes, Agamemnon's exiled son, will return.
The play ends with Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus, now rulers of Argos, returning to the
palace. As guards surround the gate, after denouncing the murderers, the Chorus
separates
Character analysis

Agamemnon
The king of Argos, and one of the commanders of the Greek fleet. At the start of the
play, he is returning victorious from the Trojan War. Although he is a well-respected
leader, he does… (read full character analysis)
Clytemnestra
The queen of Argos, and its ruler in her husband Agamemnon’s absence. She murders
Agamemnon to avenge the death of their daughter, Iphigenia, whom Agamemnon
sacrificed during the Trojan War to ensure his… (read full character analysis)
Cassandra
The slave Agamemnon has taken back to Argos as his prize for winning the Trojan War.
She is the daughter of Priam, king of Troy. A priestess of Apollo, she has the gift… (read
full character analysis)
The Chorus
A group of elderly citizens of Argos. These men were too old to fight in the Trojan War,
but they have vast knowledge of the history of the war, as well as Agamemnon’s
family… (read full character analysis)
Aegisthus
Clytemnestra’s lover and accomplice, and Agamemnon’s cousin. Aegisthus and
Agamemnon’s fathers were brothers. Agamemnon’s father Atreus killed several of
Aegisthus’ brothers and fed them to their father Thyestes. After Clytemnestra murders
Agamemnon… (read full character analysis)
Get the entire Agamemnon LitChart as a printable PDF.
Menelaus
Does not appear onstage during the play. Agamemnon’s brother and King of Sparta.
When Paris runs away to Troy with his wife Helen, he and Agamemnon raise a fleet to
conquer Troy. During… (read full character analysis)
Minor Characters
The Watchman
A guard at the palace who has been stationed to watch for a signal fire from Troy
indicating the end of the war.
The Herald
A military messenger who brings the news that Agamemnon’s fleet has returned safely.
Iphigenia
Does not appear onstage during the play. The daughter of Clytemnestra and
Agamemnon. Agamemnon sacrifices her during the Trojan War to win the favor of the
goddess Artemis.
Artemis
Does not appear onstage during the play. The goddess, of hunting, animals, virginity,
and childbirth. During the Trojan War, she to blocks the path of Agamemnon’s fleet until
he makes a sacrifice to her. She is the sister of the god Apollo.
Paris
Does not appear onstage during the play. The prince of Troy and Cassandra’s brother.
Helen
Does not appear onstage during the play. Helen was married to Menelaus, but ten years
prior to the start of the play, Paris abducted Helen and brought her to Troy, inciting the
Trojan War. She is Clytemnestra’s sister.
Apollo
Does not appear onstage during the play. The god of sun, light, and knowledge, and
Artemis’ brother. Apollo was in love with Cassandra and made her a prophet, but when
she refused to bear his child, he cursed her so that no one would ever believe her
prophecies.
Atreus
Does not appear onstage during the play. Agamemnon’s father. He murdered his brother
Thyestes’ children and fed them to him.
Thyestes
Does not appear onstage during the play. Atreus’ brother and Aegisthus’ father.
Priam
Does not appear onstage during the play. King of Troy and father of Cassandra and Paris.
Orestes
Does not appear onstage during the play. The son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra.
Orestes returns later in the trilogy to avenge his father’s murder.
The Furies
Goddesses who pursue and destroy anyone who “prospers in unjust ways.” The Furies
become more important in the two plays that follow Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers
and especially The Eumenides.
Zeus
The king of the gods and the god of thunder.
.
Thematic aspects

Naturalistic symbolism
The unique, almost mixed metaphorical style of Aeschylus provides him enough
freedom to intermingle utilize solar and lunar cycles, night and day, storms, winds, fire,
among other natural symbols to represent the vacillating nature of human reality: good
and evil, birth and death, sorrow and happiness.
Character foiling and doubling
It is valuable to compare and contrast one character with another in this play since, like
most of its complex symbolism, the characters are made to embody certain antithetical
qualities that inevitably come into conflict. For example, Agamemnon is blind where
Cassandra can see.
Fire and sunrise
Here Aeschylus captures the central tension of the play (between human and divine will)
in a very specific image: the image of the fire at Troy versus the imminent sunrise. We
remember that the signal comes at night, and much is made of how like that fire is to a
sunrise, the dawn of a new day. Yet the fire at Troy is one of destruction; it is mortal,
mundane, and human. On the other hand, the sunrise belongs to the gods and to nature.
We might think of the bonfire as a "false" dawn, since Agamemnon's return only brings
Argos more sorrow and pain.
Women as promiscuous
Helen, Clytaemestra, Cassandra are all three adulterous women. There is a certain
amount of emphasis placed on the natural weakness woman in play. It is mainly the
Chorus, however, a group of old men, who advance this position. The women themselves
are quick to point out their innocence, although, there is also much ambiguity in their
reasoning as well.
Womanliness and Manliness
This brings up the idea of ancient Greek social structure and the socially determined
roles of men and women. Clytaemestra's manliness should be given close attention.
Alternatively, there is an over-masculine quality to Agamemnon in his apparent love for
war, a love so strong he sacrifices his female daughter for the sake of his campaign.
Premature death
Several portents and symbols indicate the importance of the theme of premature death,
the death of youths. In fact, it probably hearkens back to the ill-fate house of Atreus and
Thyestes' being tricked into eating his own child. Iphigeneia, daughter of Agamemnon
and Clytaemestra, is sacrificed as a maiden, and a whole generation of young Argive
men have been lost fighting in Troy.
Ambition and daring
One of the human flaws discussed at length in the play, ambition or daring is the sin of
Agamemnon, the one for which he must inevitably pay with his life.
Divine versus human justice
Possibly the most important theme in the play, justice is left as one huge question mark
when the curtain falls on Agamemnon. Clytaemestra makes a case for her own
innocence, but is highly doubtful that the gods have sanction the joy she took in killing
her husband. The Zeus calls out to Zeus many times to no avail. What they want to know
is, was the murder of their king divinely caused or an act of base vengeance.
Beast symbolism
Generally the domain of portent and prophecy, animal symbolism plays a subdued but
essential role in the play. The symbol of the lion that tears apart its host, the eagle who
lets its fledglings die, the wolf, the cock and his hen, all of them provide metaphors for
major characters. One especially important beast symbol is the hare tore out of the
woman, which symbolizes Iphigeneia's sacrifice. Humans who forget how to govern
themselves justly tend to be personified as beasts.
Corruption and purity (healing)
Here one should think of the curse on the house of Atreus. The original impurity in the
house still has not been cleansed. The blood of innocent children has brought sorrow
Argos, and there are many questions as to who will finally clean it up, that it may heal.

THE END