Patriarchy In The Oresteia Essay

In the Oresteia, Aeschylus explores social patriarchy through the consistent imagery of women throughout the play. Using similar imagery Aeschylus potentially voices his disagreement with this patriarchy. The Oresteia discusses women in instances to imply the possible patriarchy of the Greeks, in the moments before Clytemnestra’s death and in the discussions of Athena the imagery of the woman is of an inferior person. However, the anger of Clytemnestra and the Eumenides themselves are in contrast to this patriarchy, as Aeschylus potentially recognizes the woman in these scenes.

Divine law overrules women in many instances in The Oresteia to establish a pattern of patriarchy. The chorus, at the beginning of the play, explains the backstory

Agamemnon’s sacrifice of Iphigenia is contrasted starkly with the affection she gives him. “Only our daughter Iphigeneia…will rush to meet him…she’ll fling her arms around her father, pierce him with love” (Agamemnon LINE #). Her actions could force the audience to question whether Agamemnon is justified and the fact that she is the only one to do so only furthers the questioning on the part of the audience. The outrage of Clytemnestra is also a voice in the play for women. She says in anger “he sacrificed his own child, our daughter, the agony I labored into love”(Agamemnon 1442-1443). Agamemnon performs the sacrifice, while the daughter is both of theirs, and Aeschylus recognizes the mother’s role in laboring a child, challenging the later claims by Apollo. Aeschylus possibly acknowledges the outrage of Clytemnestra in painting her in sympathetic light, allowing her to argue, “Didn’t the law demand that you banish him?” (Agamemnon 1445). In the Eumenides, the Furies are enraged with the situation that Orestes is seemingly going to be acquitted and eventually is acquitted by Athena and Apollo. In their anger, Apollo attacks them quite often, “They disgust me. These grey, ancient children never touched by god, man or beast - the eternal virgins”(The Eumenides 73-75). In this context, the virgins are unwanted and undesired. The same wording is used, however, when they are transformed into the Eumenides. “Rejoice, Athena’s people – poised by the side of Zeus, loved by the loving virgin girl” (The Eumenides 1006-1008). In this context, the virgin is loving and positive, wanted by the people of the city. Aeschylus creates a positive and loving image of the Furies. However, the Eumenides transformation could be jarring to the audience and represents a less than satisfying ending. Aeschylus could be recognizing the dissatisfaction of the Furies themselves by creating this version of the