Agamemnon
by Aeschylus
First Performed: 458 B.C.
Watchman
Clytaemnestra
Herald
Agamemnon
Cassandra
Aegisthus
Chorus, the Old Men of Argos and their Leader
Attendants of Clytaemnestra and of Agamemnon
Bodyguard of Aegisthus
Setting: A night in the tenth and final autumn of the Trojan War. The house of Atreus in Argos. Before it, an alter stands unlit; a watchman on the high roof fights to stay awake.
Time: In the dramatic space of the play it takes place in real-time, excepting a gap of several days implied by both the Chorus and their detailing of the backstory (lines 112-256), as well as voiced by Clytaemnestra (580-582). Put in context within Larger Events, the brief time of the play is a nexus point for actions from the deep past and projecting to the far future.
Inciting Incident: Agamemnon sacrifices his daughter, Iphigenia, to Artemis.
Introduction
10 years ago, Agamemnon, King of Argos, and his brother, Menelaus, set out to recapture Menelaus’ stolen bride (Helen) from Troy, a country across the sea. Artemis decreed there should be winds against them, and public opinion and general asshattery led Agamemnon to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, to Artemis in exchange for the 1000 ships to reach Troy.
In the present, Clytaemnestra is waiting for him at home, ruling in his place and generally accepted in that role. However, she has also begun an adulterous relationship with Aegisthus, cousin to Agamemnon, the only remaining member of a betrayed branch of the family and who believes the throne of Argos belongs to him.
We open, as in another play about regicide, with a night watchman bearing portents.
Summary
The play opens with the night watchman, dutifully falling asleep as he waits (going on one year) for the signal fire that signifies that Troy has fallen. He refers to Clytaemnestra as a strong woman, and almost falls asleep again, when - Lo! A light in the east! Troy has fallen! A prayer for the king, a much-loved and missed ruler. He runs to tell the queen as the Chorus enters.
The chorus proceeds to tell you all that crazy stuff I detailed yesterday and in the Introduction to this summary - back story, and as they drone on, and on, and on, and... where was I? Clytaemnestra enters. She tells the Leader of the Chorus how she knows that Troy has fallen, through the grand fire system she and Agamemnon set up, grandly, because she is grand.
A Herald arrives! So happy to be home! Very tired, from the running and such, but hey, we won! Unfortunately all but one of the 1,000 ships sent to Troy has just been demolished in an insane hurricane/Act of God/LOLcat, leaving only Agamemnon’s ship, which has just arrived.
Return of the King! A grand entrance, he and his attendants bearing his plunder... which include the shrouded figure of Cassandra. The Elders (Chorus) press in on him, entreating him to “...learn at last who stayed at home and kept their faith and who betrayed the city.”
Agamemnon addresses his people, reaffirming the victory as justice. Clytaemnestra approaches him and her Attendants bear dark red (or purple) tapastries. Agamemnon acknowledges the elders concern, and turns to deal with Clytaemnestra - can’t a guy get a break? She professes her love for him still and deplores the months and years she spent alone. Such sacrifice! Including their child, who isn’t here with them... oh, honey, I meant Orestes! *Commence Mind Games* She instructs the attendants to spread the tapestries before the king for him to walk on. They have a quick, disarming conversation where Clytaemnestra basically asks him, Was it worth it? Would you do it again? Yes, and he would. As he steps aside the figure of Cassandra is revealed.
Cassandra relates her story to the Elders. She gained her prophetic sight after shunning Apollo’s advances, and is now doomed to see the future, but people can’t believe them until they’re fulfilled. As she speaks with the elders it becomes plain that she is seeing the long past events of the House of Atreus, leading up to the exact moment, in which she and the King are destined to die. Knowing her immediate fate, but unable to change it, she enters the gates.
The Chorus shortly hear the dying shouts of Agamemnon, and debate what to do. The corpses of Agamemnon and Cassandra are presented by Clytaemnestra, who has revenged Iphigenia’s sacrifice by performing the same ritual sacrifice (three strikes and a prayer) in murdering Agamemnon. Cassandra... well, she might be better off dead.
Clytaemnestra murdered them both, and the Elders are appalled. She reveals to them that she has also been sleeping with the arrogant little bitch Aegisthus, who is now claiming the throne, and hey! Also responsibility for the kilings! What a dick. His bodyguard prevents the Elders from rushing him, and Clytaemnestra brings a (very temporary) end to the altercation by appealing to their better natures to avoid even more bloodshed.
The Chorus ends with what has to be one of the ultimate Forwards in play history, a genuine cliffhanger: Wait until Orestes gets back - you will seriously fucking regret this. Fortunately Greek audiences only had to wait a matter of hours for the second installment.
First Reaction: What a great read! Action to action to action - the actions and consequences couldn’t really be simpler than those found in this trilogy. So far we’ve travelled down a family tragedy already 4 generations deep, and each travesty only tries to right the many, many travesties committed before - none of which can ever be forgiven or revenged. Oh, the humanity! Don't you know you can never fix it that way? More tomorrow on the greek chorus, including some insights from Jacques Lecoq's book, The Moving Body!
TTFN
Ben
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