ipl-logo

Justice In The Oresteia

630 Words3 Pages

Blood for blood – a life for a life: this is the form of justice that exists in Aeschylus’s 2500-year-old trilogy, The Oresteia. But there are many kinds of justice, and Aeschylus explores its many forms: Familial and ensconced in law, reciprocal and democratic. Our modern world has organised justice – we have law courts and jurors, murder as manslaughter, conspiracy, association and attempted but Aeschylus asks: can there be one right way to determine justice? This underlying theme along with the dualistic thoughts it presents, are astoundingly relevant today.
Iraq. Afghanistan. Libya. Darfur. Palestine. Syria. Myanmar. Somalia. Kashmir. Turkey. Israel. Yemen. Korea. Across the globe today, conflicts rage in endless cycles of violence – an eye for …show more content…

On the surface we see Clytemnestra as a strong feminist character, taking on male characteristics, shocking at the time, and acting with purpose and justification. However, then we see Clytemnestra as an individual woman’s rebellion punished by death, reflecting Athenian restrictions on the role of women and unfortunately - although not as literally, seen in many areas of our current world. Today in one half of civilisation we battle for equal representation in corporate boards, fight against objectification in the media, and argue for equal pay. In the other half we battle to not be controlled by men, fight for the chance to marry for love not for money or family ties at 15 years old, and argue that our bodies are not property to be sold or hurt but ours and ours alone. In The Oresteia, we see the defeat of the powerful, savage, unyielding Furies at the trial of Orestes. The fierce female earth gods are tamed and transformed into Eumenides (Kindly Ones), symbolising the triumph of male-identified Olympian gods as the guides into the reformed Athenian ways of

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Orestes In Clytemnestra

    815 Words  | 4 Pages

    Clytemnestra wasn’t like most of the women in Greece who stood silently by their husband 's side; she was a woman ahead of her time. Just take a look at her position, while her husband was at war she was ruling Argos. Most were not happy about this, but when confronted she would throw away her femininity to stand on equal ground. For example when she speaks to the chorus she says, “You try me out as if I were a woman and vain; but my heart does not flutter as I speak to you.” She was strong and had confidence in herself.

    Read More

  • Comparing Homer's Iliad And The Code Of Hammurabi

    704 Words  | 3 Pages

    What is worth mentioning in Sophocles’ play is that he not only showed the weak side of women but also the strong ones. For example, Ismene is the traditional role of women in ancient Greek—coward, fear of men power and feeble. For Ismene, "we must remember we were born women, not meant to strive with men" (Antigone). She even chose to die with Antigone while hearing her sentence, for she was afraid that she would be alone, she could not be able to fight against Creon, this men-dominant society. In contrast, her sister Antigone presents the “women power”.

    Read More

  • Gender And The Homeric Epic Analysis

    1078 Words  | 5 Pages

    In “Gender and the Homeric Epic”, an article by Nancy Felson and Laura M. Slatkin, the gender roles of various characters in The Odyssey, an epic poem by Homer, are examined in the constraining and progressive lens Homer takes. The characters of the epic most explicitly analyzed are Odysseus and his wife, Penelope; in this article the authors show the traditional gender roles both adhere to, but also exhibit the ways in which the characters are able to reach across the restraining gender roles, without making this story entirely about gender. Through this article one can see that the constraining nature of gender roles seen in society, is not inherent in the society presented in The Odyssey, which describes an intrinsic fluidity which is seen in a plethora of characters. “Gender and the Homeric Epic” discusses the gender roles conceived throughout Homer’s story through the characters Homer and Penelope. Homer represents the masculine war hero, returning home with what should be glory and happiness.

    Read More

  • Euphiletus A Husband Speaks In His Own Defense Summary

    971 Words  | 4 Pages

    For many decades the issue on men and the way they treat their wife’s can be thought of as an interesting topic. Something in particular is the story of “Euphiletus, A Husband Speaks in His Own Defense”, and “North Slope of the Areopagus” which symbolizes the way Ancient Athenian men acted towards their wife. To add, in a way, how much women can have a major impact on men’s lives. Taking place around 400 B.C.E, the ancient Athenian murder trial rationalizes around the speculations of marriage, the roles women took part in ancient Greece, and the fears a husband faces after failing to closely monitor his wife.

    Read More

  • DBQ Essay: The Syrian War

    552 Words  | 3 Pages

    War in Syria DBQ Essay Since the beginning of the Syrian war in 2011, many have fled the country and settled in the neighboring states, including Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt. Currently, there are 4 million Syrian refugees registered in the region. By mid-2015, the World Bank’s estimated cost of the Syrian war for the Middle Eastern countries is $35 billion. This load is too heavy to endure, and this is why refugees have been aiming for European countries for a couple of years now.

    Read More

  • Essay On Symposium And Lysistrata

    978 Words  | 4 Pages

    The union of both sexes is a notable metaphor in both “Symposium” and “Lysistrata”; however, the nature of the love between the sexes draws a distinction between both works. In Symposium, Aristophanes described how both sexes were so powerful when united; and when they were separated, human beings still strived to be united once more by any means. On the other hand, in Lysistrata the characters were already married and united; however, women found their true strength when they started a psychological war on their men. Even though both works drew the readers’ attention to the need for love, Symposium emphasizes the union of sexes in a way that the characters in Lysistrata will never reach; where love is not only about sex and physical attraction, but it’s also about a healthy relationship occupied with affection and caring.

    Read More

  • Comparing Women In Aristophanes Lysistrata And Homer's Odyssey

    1005 Words  | 5 Pages

    Aristophanes Lysistrata and Homer’s Odyssey both show how women can thrive in their society and fight for what they believe in, even if that goes against the gender roles portrayed in Greek Civilization. In Aristophanes Lysistrata, the author portrays how one woman can fight for what she believes in and make a difference in society. Lysistrata ultimately wanted to end the Peloponnesian War, she knew the only way to do so was to take advantage of the Men. Men were dying day after day because of this war and Lysistrata had enough, she wanted to end it. Lysistrata decided to take a stand; she voiced her plan to

    Read More

  • Odysseus Use Of Justice In Homer's Odyssey

    1399 Words  | 6 Pages

    While Odysseus’ actions taken to punish the suitors may appear immoral in modern society, by considering the ways in which modern society differs from Homeric society, Odysseus’ actions are just in the context of the poem. As violence has an extremely negative connotation in modern society, the use of the death penalty is morally ambiguous, and is a highly debated topic; however, violence is far more legitimized in the society of the Odyssey, and therefore, death is a far more acceptable form of punishment. This idea is exemplified by the way in which violence is discussed between characters within the Odyssey. In particular, this general acceptance of violence is demonstrated through the fact that many of the characters within the Odyssey share an almost unanimous belief that the suitors should be put to death to pay for their crimes.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Devices In Medea

    1213 Words  | 5 Pages

    Medea and the women of Corinth both share, to a different extent, the experience of being unfairly categorized as the caretaker of the family, which aids Medea in persuasion because she can be trusted as a woman to speak on the patriarchal society. She continues as ‘’of all creatures that have life and reason we women are the sorriest lot’’ (229-230) of all the living things Medea describes women as the ‘’sorriest’’ which suggests that women are pitied and helps Medea to allure the Chorus to be on her side. Medea suggests to the Chorus that Females ‘’must at a great expenditure of money buy a husband and even take on a master over our body: this evil is more galling than the first. ’’(231-233) Medea is arguing that women must sacrifice a ‘’great’’ amount of money to ‘’buy’’ their partners. This conveys the patriarchal community in Corinth.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Power In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    1085 Words  | 5 Pages

    The women felt that the war was causing disruption and ruining the unity between the people. Particularly, the main protagonist Lysistrata herself, gathers the power of females in hopes for peace and the reunion of Greece. Although the women initially were dubious about ending the war with a sex strike, it was Lysistrata who brought leadership to the group, encouraging all to contribute their powers for good, as she says, “Our country’s fortunes are in our hands; and whether the Spartans shall perish and the Boeotians shall be completely annihilated” (Aristophane 34-35). During this process, the women were faced with corrupted men, who believed that females should have no participation in the topic of war. Rather than succumbing to the demands of the men, Lysistrata insisted and argued for women to take charge and restore Athens.

    Read More

  • Medea Quote Analysis

    1434 Words  | 6 Pages

    She describes the world to be unjust, especially to women. Medea believes that women are looked as inferior to men, and even so, men are quick to display their unlikely maltreatment. To her, women have little to no say in their marriage, their bodies, and general society. Medea’s outlook of women is first conveyed through this quote, bringing upon the theme of the state of women within Greece. This quote reveals the state of women within Greece, a leading theme of the story.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Lysistrata By Aristophanes

    1568 Words  | 7 Pages

    Introduction The purpose of this essay is to investigate the women’s role in Classical Greece society and literature (5th/4th century b.C.). Therefore, I decided to discuss and analyse one of the most controversial comedies of that time, “Lysistrata” by Aristophanes. This text shows how women, sick of their submissive and powerless position in the political scenario of Athens and Sparta, come on the scene and, through a smart stratagem, achieve their expected result.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Patriarchy In The Odyssey

    1007 Words  | 5 Pages

    To accomplish this analyzation I have structured this paper into an intro paragraph, four body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph. The first body paragraph explains how Penelope’s forced marriage with Odysseus supports the patriarchy. The second paragraph analyzes Penelope’s character, and how the story diminishes her character to make men seem more powerful. The third paragraph dives into the relationship with the suitors and Penelope. I analyze how Penelope uses her situation to her advantage, and how that undermines the patriarchy.

    Read More

  • The Odyssey Feminist Analysis

    1017 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout history, women have been second fiddle to men. Females have been degraded, disrespected, and undermined; they’ve been ignored, silenced, and gone unheard. This gender inequality is present even in The Odyssey, though it includes many important female figures. Penelope, Calypso, Circe, and more are all crucial to the plot, and some even responsible for the happy ending, yet when inspected closely female stereotypes emerge. The majority of the women are presented as seductresses, the others as mothers, and almost all as fragile and dependent on men.

    Read More

  • Patriarchy In A Midsummer Night's Dream

    986 Words  | 4 Pages

    The men of Athens feel threatened when women show agency because their whole patriarchal system depends on female complacency. Although Athenian society

    Read More

More about Justice In The Oresteia

Open Document