How does Aeschylus treat the theme of hereditary guilt in “Agamemnon?”
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.
Answer
How does Aeschylus treat the theme of hereditary guilt in “Agamemnon?” [NU: 2014, 17, 20, 22] ★★★
Hereditary Guilt is the idea that sins or curses pass from parents to children. In Aeschylus’s play “Agamemnon,” first performed in 458 BCE, the theme of hereditary guilt is central. The play is the first part of Aeschylus’s Oresteia trilogy that focuses on the cursed House of Atreus. Aeschylus shows how past crimes haunt future generations—trapping them in cycles of violence and revenge.
Course on the House of Atreus: The play centers on the family of Agamemnon, known as the House of Atreus. This family has a long history of violence and betrayal. The curse begins with Tantalus, Agamemnon’s great-grandfather. Tantalus killed his own son and served him as food to the gods. The gods punished Tantalus and cursed the family lineage. Later, Atreus, Agamemnon’s father, killed the children of his brother, Thyestes, and fed them to him—as revenge for stealing his wife. This act of cruelty deepened the curse. The gods punish such crimes, so the family is doomed to suffer. This curse is already in motion when the play “Agamemnon” begins. In the play, Cassandra comments about the House of Atreus:
“A house that hates the gods… house full of death, kinsmen butchered… heads chopped off…”
Agamemnon’s Sin: Agamemnon, the Greek king, faces a terrible choice during the Trojan War. To get favorable winds for his ships, the goddess Artemis demands he sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia. Agamemnon does this as a duty. But killing his own child is a sin. Even though he is pressured by the gods, his action adds to the family’s guilt. This shows how past sins force new crimes—Agamemnon is both a victim of the curse and an evil-doer.
Clytemnestra’s Revenge: Agamemnon’s wife, Clytemnestra, kills him when he returns from war. She claims it is revenge for Iphigenia’s death. But her act is not just about justice—it is also driven by her own anger and her affair with Aegisthus (who isUnlock this study guide now