Clytemnestra is one of the central
characters in the ancient Greek tragedy, "Agamemnon" by Aeschylus.
She is the wife of Agamemnon, the king of Argos, and plays a pivotal role in
the play's plot and themes. Clytemnestra is portrayed as a complex and
multifaceted character, capable of both great love and immense fury.
At the beginning of the play,
Clytemnestra is filled with grief and anger at the prolonged absence of her
husband, Agamemnon, who has been away fighting in the Trojan War for ten years.
She is deeply hurt by his betrayal, as he had sacrificed their daughter
Iphigenia in order to gain favorable winds for the voyage to Troy. This act has
caused Clytemnestra to harbor a deep resentment towards Agamemnon and fuels her
desire for revenge.
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Despite her initial sorrow,
Clytemnestra shows strength and intelligence throughout the play. She is
cunning and manipulative, carefully planning and executing her revenge against
Agamemnon. She aligns herself with Aegisthus, her lover and cousin, and
together they plot to kill Agamemnon upon his return. Clytemnestra's character
is complex in that she is both a victim of Agamemnon's past actions and a
perpetrator of violence herself.
As the play progresses, Clytemnestra's
character becomes increasingly ruthless and calculating. She revels in her
power and takes pleasure in her revenge against Agamemnon, even going so far as
to boast about her actions to the chorus. However, her character is not
entirely one-dimensional, as she also expresses a deep love for her children,
particularly her son Orestes, whom she hopes will one day avenge her own
father's death.
Clytemnestra's character is also shaped
by her relationships with the other characters in the play. Her marriage to
Agamemnon is characterized by tension and mistrust, and her affair with
Aegisthus is a source of both comfort and danger. Her interactions with the
chorus reveal her growing isolation and her desire for control, as she becomes
more and more paranoid about the possibility of someone discovering her plot.
In conclusion, Clytemnestra is a
complex and multi-dimensional character in "Agamemnon". She is both a
victim of Agamemnon's past actions and a perpetrator of violence, a loving
mother and a ruthless murderer. Her character is defined by her strength,
intelligence, and cunning, as well as her relationships with the other
characters in the play. Clytemnestra's tragic fate ultimately serves as a
cautionary tale about the dangers of revenge and the corrupting influence of
power.