Cultural Norms In Iphigeneia At Aulis

The Normal Heroine The story of Iphigeneia at Aulis serves as a conceptual writing about Greco-Roman culture. It displays the way that women and men act towards one another, and also how they act based off of the cultural norms set forth by society. Iphigeneia and her family demonstrate many qualities that are considered normal in Greco-Roman Culture. There are many examples of how women and men are treated in Greco-Roman culture, and how they act towards the opposite gender in this play. One example of how women are treated compared to men is what Agamemnon says to his daughter Iphigeneia, “I have said enough. Too much. Girls are not meant to know about such things” (Euripides, 1978, lines 896-897). Agamemnon states how women should not know too much even if it is details about their own marriage. Even after her father says this to

Agamemnon says to Clytemnestra, “Daughter of Leda, forgive me for this access of grief at giving my child in marriage to Achilles” (Euripides, 1978, lines 920-922). This shows how men are not expected to show emotion even about things like their daughter getting married and moving away. Women, on the other hand, are expected to obey their husband or father. Clytemnestra said to Agamemnon, “What do you want? You know I’m not in the habit of disobeying you” (Euripides, 1978, lines 983-984). Notice that she says ‘disobey’ not disagree, women ‘obey’ they do not hold the opinions of the household. As the men make the decisions, women follow behind. Men are also expected to fight for their families and countries, they hold a sort of heroic role in the household. In this play Iphigeneia does the opposite of what any Greek or Roman would expect… she became the hero. She saved her own father. Ferguson explains this, “What Euripides is doing is showing that a girl with all the prejudices of Athenian womanhood can still be a heroine” (1968, pg.