18 Views
Literature Xpres
0
Literature Xpres Menu

Agamemnon : Characters

Shape Shape

Agamemnon is a notable literary work by Aeschylus. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Agamemnon.

Characters

Characters

Major Characters

  • Agamemnon (King and General): The victorious Greek commander in the Trojan War and King of Mycenae. Proud, powerful, yet doomed by fate’s curse. His crime of sacrificing his daughter, Iphigenia, and his arrogance in victory led to his downfall.
  • Clytemnestra (Queen): Agamemnon’s wife. Intelligent, cunning, and vengeful. To avenge the killing of her daughter Iphigenia, she murders her husband with the help of her lover Aegisthus. She symbolizes female power, revenge, and the complex face of justice.
  • Cassandra (Princess of Troy): Daughter of Priam, the defeated King of Troy. A prophetess whose prophecies are never believed. She is brought as a captive with Agamemnon and foretells her own death. Symbol of the cruelty of fate.
  • Aegisthus (Conspirator): Clytemnestra’s lover and Agamemnon’s cousin. He plays an active role in the old curse and revenge cycle of the House of Atreus.
  • Chorus (Elders of Argos): The voice of the citizens. They comment on war, victory, the gods, and justice. Symbol of moral lessons and philosophical reflection.

Minor Characters

  • Herald (Messenger): Brings news of Agamemnon’s victory from Troy. Describes the hardships of war, the influence of the gods, and the suffering of the soldiers.
  • Watchman: Seen at the beginning of the play. Waits on the palace roof for the victory signal (beacon fire). Symbol of ominous foreboding.
  • Servants and Attendants: Assist with palace activities, making the setting and events realistic.

Couples and Connections

  • Agamemnon and Clytemnestra: The central couple. Their relationship, marked by victory, crime, and revenge, ends in terrible tragedy.
  • Clytemnestra and Aegisthus: An illicit affair. They turn personal revenge into a political conspiracy.
  • Agamemnon and Iphigenia: Father and daughter. Their bond, shattered by sacrifice, becomes the root of eternal grief and revenge.

Family and Kinship

  • House of Atreus: A cursed family. Bound by past sins and cycles of revenge. Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Aegisthus, and later Orestes are part of this house.
  • Priam’s Line: The royal family of Troy. Cassandra belongs to this line and is taken captive by the Greeks.