Clytemnestra is the wife of Agamemnon and Queen of Argos. Agamemnon is a play by Aeschylus that tells of her deathly plot against Agamemnon, who murdered their daughter, Iphigenia. Along with her lover, Aegisthus, Clytemnestra takes revenge for her daughter and claims the throne of Argos. She is tormented by disrespect, betrayal, and grief, which combine to be the driving force for her actions.
While Agamemnon is off fighting the Trojan war, Clytemnestra rules Argos in his place. However, throughout this time she is met with disrespect and distrust from the Chorus, who are old men of Sparta and council to the throne. This is exemplified when Clytemnestra knows Troy has fallen by way of fire signals, but the Chorus will not believe her. They question if she has proof or if she has misinterpreted the sign. She reacts saying, “Not sight-proof would I accept from a brain bemused… You hold my sense as low as it were a babe’s.” (Aeschylus 21). She has been dealing with this belittlement and distrust as she is a woman ruling the kingdom, which leaves her frustrated and grasping for honor and respect. This is the first component of Clytemnestra’s torment.
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Agamemnon betrays her by murdering Iphigenia, an act that showed a stronger commitment to his personal honor. Plus, she has long waited for her husband to come home from war. Yet, Agamemnon returns bringing with him a concubine, Cassandra. Agamemnon has now twice been disloyal, inflicting agony and fueling Clytemnestra’s murderous plot. After killing both Agamemnon and Cassandra and the Chorus begins their lament, Clytemnestra defends her act saying, “And did he (Agamemnon) not then himself do a crafty crime against his house? …justice is done upon him… he has paid… with death.” (Aeschylus 47). This shows the magnitude of anguish inflicted by Agamemnon’s betrayals and how that motivated